Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 190-192). Also available in print.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the language policy and implementation outside and inside the classroom in a multilingual and multicultural international school. Specifically, it aims at giving an insight into how linguistic and cultural diversity is managed at Windhoek International School (WIS). It takes a specific interest in the kinds of language policy that determine which languages are used in education in a context where both teachers and learners are L1 speakers of a considerable number of different languages. The participants in this study are multilingual learners and teachers of WIS. The study uses data from the school records, a questionnaire, interviews and observation. The analysis of the data is descriptive, interpretive and explanatory. The findings of the study are that the language policy at WIS is articulated in such a manner that it encourages monolingual norms although the school’s community is multilingual. English is the MoI, used in official communication across the school and also as a language of communication with the school’s stakeholders. Other European languages, namely- French, German and Portuguese are officially taught as modern foreign languages. Significantly, none of the local Namibian languages are taught in the school. However, the school does not bar its learners and teachers from using their LotE especially outside of the classroom. The study also shows that the language ecology at WIS demonstrates a situation of polyglossia where English is on top of the language hierarchy. From the findings, it is suggested that since WIS recognises the multilingual and multicultural composition of its learners and teachers, its whole school policy should be looked at again to reflect current thinking in language-in-education policy. The policy should place emphasis on dynamic bilingualism by supporting and encouraging the teaching and learning of LotE, including local indigenous languages, as a means of scaffolding and as a means of bridging knowledge development in the school. However, for purposes of examination, the school should place emphasis on the extensive use of English to enable its learners to meet the requirements of external examiners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bestudeer die taalbeleid en implementering daarvan binne en buite klaskamerverband, by ‘n veeltalige en multikulturele internasionale skool. Spesifiek, is die doel om insae te gee in hoe talige en kulturele diversiteit by Windhoek Internasionale Skool (WIS) hanteer word. Dit stel belang in die verskillende soorte taalbeleid wat bepaal watter tale in onderrig en leer gebruik word in ‘n konteks waar sowel die onderwysers as die leerders eerstetaalsprekers is van ‘n aansienlike aantal verskillende tale. Die deelnemers in hierdie studie is veeltalige leerders en onderwysers aan die WIS. Die studie gebruik data wat bekom is uit skoolrekords, vraelyste, onderhoude en deur waarneming. Die analise van die data word gedoen in die vorm van beskrywing, interpretasie en verduideliking. Die bevindinge van die studie hou in dat die taalbeleid aan die WIS so geartikuleer is dat dit eentalige norme ondersteun, alhoewel die gemeenskap wat deur die skool bedien word, veeltalig is. Engels is die medium van onderrig (MvO/MoI) aan die skool, word in amptelike kommunikasie binne die skool gebruik, en is ook die kommunikasietaal by alle belanghebbendes van die skool (ouers, borge, ens.). Ander Europese tale, naamlik Frans, Duits en Portugees, word as moderne vreemde tale binne die skool se leerplan aangebied. Heel opvallend, word geeneen van die plaaslike Namibiese tale in die skool aangebied nie. Ten spyte van hierdie taalreëlings word leerders en onderwysers van die skool nie beperk in die gebruik van ander tale as Engels (LotEs) nie, veral buite die klaskamers. Die studie toon aan dat die taalomgewing by WIS tekenend is van ‘n sg. poliglossiese gemeenskap waar Engels in die taalhiërargie bo-aan te staan kom. Die bevindinge suggereer dat die WIS, in die lig van hulle erkenning van die veeltalige en multikulturele samestelling van die leerders en onderwysers, sy skoolbeleid in die geheel behoort te heroorweeg, sodat dit belyn word met die mees resente denke oor taal-in-onderrig-beleid. Die beleid behoort op dinamiese tweetaligheid klem te lê deur die onderrig en leer van ander tale as Engels (LotEs), ook plaaslike inheemse tale, aan te moedig en te ondersteun. Dit moet so gedoen word dat dit as “steierwerk”kan dien in die oorbrugging wat nodig is vir leer deur medium van ‘n tweede of vreemde taal. Daarbenewens word aanbeveel dat die skool vir eksamineringsdoeleindes aandag skenk aan die uitgebreide gebruik van Engels, sodat leerders in staat is om aan die vereistes wat eksterne eksaminatore stel, te beantwoord.

<p> Despite the increasing research that lists cultural incongruence in the classroom among the top factors that speaks to the disproportionate numbers of Black females obtaining STEM degrees there is limited research on the actual number of Black female science teachers at the secondary level in education and the impact this plays on Black females in science, technology, engineering, and math classrooms (STEM). The consequence of all this is that we find ourselves with Black female science teachers &ldquo;missing in action,&rdquo; and only 5% of Black females receiving a STEM degree. I employ critical pedagogy, critical race theory, and Black feminist thought to answer: (a) What do the stories of Black female secondary science teachers tell us about issues related to their recruitment and retention within the science teaching force? (b) How do Black female secondary science teachers explain the shortage of Black females entering the STEM field? What do they believe should be done to increase the number of Black females in the field? (c) What contributions do Black female secondary science teachers make or potentially would like to make to increase the number of Black females entering and remaining within the science teaching force? This study explores how Black women are absent in the conversation about recruitment and retention of secondary science teachers. To answer the research questions in a humanizing way, this study was conducted collectively with my participants using the qualitative methodologies of critical narratives and decolonizing methodology. Therefore, this study represents an effort to address this phenomenon by listening to the voices of Black female secondary science teachers and engaging their stories, which often have remained absent from recruitment and retention discussions, to contribute to the scholarship on the recruitment and retention of Black science teachers.</p><p>

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:10:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert_Neise_Maria_da_Silva.pdf: 2146846 bytes, checksum: bb3fbdaa8a5985051a8c16f0f29e9f0e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-20 / This work falls in line with State and Education Policy Research program of graduate education at Federal University of Goias An analysis of curriculum policy in Goiânia seeking to identify the presence or absence of the National Curriculum Parameters (PCNs) these curricular guidelines, based on official documents, together with the literature search and documentary. Among the authors most consulted highlight Cury, Moreira, Queen, Veiga, Ciavata, Bonamino, Martinez. Investigation revealed important themes for this study such as citizenship and interdisciplinarity. To obtain information, we make use of questionnaires to directors, coordinators and teachers from 20 public schools in Goiania and analysis of political Projects teaching (PPP) of 10 such schools. The result of our work showed the construction of a local curriculum that initially was very tied to the national policy for curriculum, in a second stage takes shape with a text more independent, to guide the construction of the PPP schools. / Este trabalho situa-se na linha de pesquisa Estado e Políticas Educacionais do programa de pós-graduação em educação da Universidade Federal de Goiás. Realizamos uma análise da política curricular no município de Goiânia buscando identificar a presença ou não dos Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCNs) nessas diretrizes curriculares, com base em documentos oficiais, juntamente com a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Dentre os autores mais consultados, destacamos Cury, Moreira, Rainho, Veiga, Ciavata, Bonamino, Martinez. A investigação evidenciou temáticas importantes para este estudo tais como cidadania e interdisciplinaridade. Para a obtenção de informações, valemo-nos da aplicação de questionários aos diretores, coordenadores e professores de 20 escolas públicas em Goiânia e análise dos Projetos político pedagógicos (PPPs) de 10 dessas escolas. O resultado do nosso trabalho evidenciou a construção de um currículo local que, inicialmente, era muito atrelado à política nacional de currículo; em um segundo momento se concretiza com um texto mais independente, destinado a orientar a construção dos PPP das escolas.

Submitted by Marlene Santos (marlene.bc.ufg@gmail.com) on 2016-08-24T21:04:21Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 8086771 bytes, checksum: 00519cc1085b517be1295fbdb1933902 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-25T11:35:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 8086771 bytes, checksum: 00519cc1085b517be1295fbdb1933902 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-25T11:35:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 8086771 bytes, checksum: 00519cc1085b517be1295fbdb1933902 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-04 / The PNAIC and basic education in JATAÍ-GO: what the documents reveal? Is the result of research undertaken in the studies of Master&#39;s degree in education, Educational Policy, Research line management and teacher training at the Federal University of Goiás, Jataí’s Regional de Jataí. The research investigated the public educational policy &quot;National Pact for Literacy at the right age&quot; (PNAIC), established by law No. 12.801 of 24 April 2013, understood as the latest action focused on literacy. The overall objective of this study was to analyze the changes in literacy for students of basic education, of the city schools of Jataí-GO, upon accession and implementation of the PNAIC, causing the following question: what do the courses offered by the PNAIC have contributed specifically to the pedagogical practice of literacy teachers in the municipality of Jataí-GO? To do so, investigate about this continuing training course in service, to verify the real qualitative goals of integral formation of the subject, as well as the design of quality inherent in this policy with a view to its consequences and implications in educational process. In this proposal for continuing education of literacy teacher is present the uniqueness, specific features, and the mediation field, or the field of particularity, that implies demands and consequences in the relationship of teaching and learning held at school and mediates the formation of tliteracy teacher, with proposals, goals, training books, among others. The present study developed through qualitative research, exploratory and documentary from data collected in the official documents of the PNAIC and in the documents of accession to the Covenant, obtained through the Municipal Secretary of education of Jataí-GO. For the theoretical discussion and analysis data, this researcher used as theoretical contribution methods historical materialism Dialectic and Historical-critical Pedagogy. Study the PNAIC from this perspective provided them understand it as a singularity in the educational context and better understand how he expresses himself in capitalist organization and its linkages with the social totality. The parsed data reaffirm a known reality of researchers in education: immeasurable amounts spent with programs, goals and actions discontinuous and fragmented, deployed without the participation of the main stakeholders – students, parents, teachers and community. And, yet, show that there have been changes in the levels of proficiency in reading and writing, specifically, in city schools, education of Jataí-GO, according to the National Literacy Assessment (ANA) held in 2013 and 2014, regardless of whether the schools raised the index of teacher training literacy teachers through their participation in training groups of PNAIC confirming that you can&#39;t level the process of literacy by the fact each school present a peculiar reality. / O PNAIC e a educação básica em JATAÍ-GO: o que revelam os documentos? É resultado da pesquisa empreendida nos estudos de Mestrado em Educação, ligado à Linha de Pesquisa Políticas Educacionais, Gestão e Formação de Professores da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Regional de Jataí. A pesquisa investigou a política pública educacional “Pacto Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa” (PNAIC), instituído pela Lei nº 12.801, de 24 de abril de 2013, compreendida como a mais recente ação voltada para a alfabetização. O objetivo geral deste estudo foi o de analisar as mudanças ocorridas na alfabetização de alunos da educação básica, das escolas da rede municipal de Jataí-GO, a partir da adesão e implantação do PNAIC, provocando o seguinte questionamento: o que os cursos oferecidos pelo PNAIC têm contribuído concretamente para a prática pedagógica dos professores alfabetizadores do município de Jataí-GO? Para tanto, coube investigar acerca desse curso de formação continuada em serviço, a fim de verificar os reais objetivos qualitativos de formação integral do sujeito, bem como a concepção de qualidade inerente a essa política tendo em vista seus desdobramentos e implicações no complexo processo educacional. Nessa proposta de formação continuada do professor alfabetizador está presente a singularidade, características específicas, e o campo de mediações, ou melhor, o campo da particularidade, que implica demandas e consequências na relação de ensino e aprendizagem realizada na escola e medeia a formação do professor alfabetizador, com propostas, objetivos, cadernos de formação, entre outros. O presente estudo se desenvolveu por meio da pesquisa qualitativa, exploratória e documental realizada a partir de dados levantados nos documentos oficiais do PNAIC e nos documentos de adesão ao Pacto, obtidos por meio da Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Jataí-GO. Para a discussão teórica e a análise os dados, esta pesquisadora utilizou como aporte teórico os métodos Materialismo Histórico Dialético e Pedagogia Histórico-Crítica. Estudar o PNAIC sob essa perspectiva oportunizou compreendê-lo como uma singularidade no contexto educacional e melhor entender como ele se expressa na organização capitalista e seus nexos com a totalidade social. Os dados analisados reafirmam uma realidade já conhecida dos pesquisadores em educação: gastam-se verbas imensuráveis com programas, metas e ações descontínuas e fragmentadas, implantadas sem a participação dos principais interessados – alunos, pais, professores e comunidade. E, ainda, mostram que houve mudanças nos níveis de proficiência em leitura e escrita, especificamente, nas escolas da rede municipal de ensino, de Jataí- GO, de acordo com a Avaliação Nacional da Alfabetização (ANA), realizada em 2013 e 2014, independentemente de as escolas elevaram ou não o índice de formação dos professores alfabetizadores por meio de sua participação nos grupos de formação do PNAIC, confirmando que não se pode nivelar o processo de alfabetização pelo fato de cada escola apresentar uma realidade peculiar.

<p> Providing access to a post-secondary education for a diverse population of learners with varied levels of academic preparation continues to be a challenge for California community colleges. One response has been to establish partnerships. Each partnership incorporates different scopes, instructional patterns, and outcomes to impact students. The literature supports the construction of academic pathways that provide evidence of persistence and student success. Research legitimizes connections that link students to student support services and academic skill development. California community colleges are implementing partnerships designed to achieve this end.</p><p> This study examined the impact of a noncredit to credit partnership. It explored the factors that contributed to student success in community college credit entry-level mathematics courses. The findings of the study revealed the impact of alternative course structures that integrate subject competency with preparation for the rigor of credit math courses. The study findings revealed the benefit of in-class tutoring and counseling that connects students to support services and reduces transitional barriers. This study will add to the volume of research regarding student success as it examines a noncredit program utilizing untapped resources to support student success in a community college district setting.</p>

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-25T13:06:03Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 7997148 bytes, checksum: f2cecfbe02b00be760df5cf6233a167e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-25T13:06:31Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 7997148 bytes, checksum: f2cecfbe02b00be760df5cf6233a167e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-25T13:06:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Kátia Ferreira de Assis - 2016.pdf: 7997148 bytes, checksum: f2cecfbe02b00be760df5cf6233a167e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-04 / The PNAIC and basic education in JATAÍ-GO: what the documents reveal? Is the result of research undertaken in the studies of Master's degree in education, Educational Policy, Research line management and teacher training at the Federal University of Goiás, Jataí’s Regional de Jataí. The research investigated the public educational policy "National Pact for Literacy at the right age" (PNAIC), established by law No. 12.801 of 24 April 2013, understood as the latest action focused on literacy. The overall objective of this study was to analyze the changes in literacy for students of basic education, of the city schools of Jataí-GO, upon accession and implementation of the PNAIC, causing the following question: what do the courses offered by the PNAIC have contributed specifically to the pedagogical practice of literacy teachers in the municipality of Jataí-GO? To do so, investigate about this continuing training course in service, to verify the real qualitative goals of integral formation of the subject, as well as the design of quality inherent in this policy with a view to its consequences and implications in educational process. In this proposal for continuing education of literacy teacher is present the uniqueness, specific features, and the mediation field, or the field of particularity, that implies demands and consequences in the relationship of teaching and learning held at school and mediates the formation of tliteracy teacher, with proposals, goals, training books, among others. The present study developed through qualitative research, exploratory and documentary from data collected in the official documents of the PNAIC and in the documents of accession to the Covenant, obtained through the Municipal Secretary of education of Jataí-GO. For the theoretical discussion and analysis data, this researcher used as theoretical contribution methods historical materialism Dialectic and Historical-critical Pedagogy. Study the PNAIC from this perspective provided them understand it as a singularity in the educational context and better understand how he expresses himself in capitalist organization and its linkages with the social totality. The parsed data reaffirm a known reality of researchers in education: immeasurable amounts spent with programs, goals and actions discontinuous and fragmented, deployed without the participation of the main stakeholders – students, parents, teachers and community. And, yet, show that there have been changes in the levels of proficiency in reading and writing, specifically, in city schools, education of Jataí-GO, according to the National Literacy Assessment (ANA) held in 2013 and 2014, regardless of whether the schools raised the index of teacher training literacy teachers through their participation in training groups of PNAIC confirming that you can't level the process of literacy by the fact each school present a peculiar reality. / O PNAIC e a educação básica em JATAÍ-GO: o que revelam os documentos? É resultado da pesquisa empreendida nos estudos de Mestrado em Educação, ligado à Linha de Pesquisa Políticas Educacionais, Gestão e Formação de Professores da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Regional de Jataí. A pesquisa investigou a política pública educacional “Pacto Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa” (PNAIC), instituído pela Lei nº 12.801, de 24 de abril de 2013, compreendida como a mais recente ação voltada para a alfabetização. O objetivo geral deste estudo foi o de analisar as mudanças ocorridas na alfabetização de alunos da educação básica, das escolas da rede municipal de Jataí-GO, a partir da adesão e implantação do PNAIC, provocando o seguinte questionamento: o que os cursos oferecidos pelo PNAIC têm contribuído concretamente para a prática pedagógica dos professores alfabetizadores do município de Jataí-GO? Para tanto, coube investigar acerca desse curso de formação continuada em serviço, a fim de verificar os reais objetivos qualitativos de formação integral do sujeito, bem como a concepção de qualidade inerente a essa política tendo em vista seus desdobramentos e implicações no complexo processo educacional. Nessa proposta de formação continuada do professor alfabetizador está presente a singularidade, características específicas, e o campo de mediações, ou melhor, o campo da particularidade, que implica demandas e consequências na relação de ensino e aprendizagem realizada na escola e medeia a formação do professor alfabetizador, com propostas, objetivos, cadernos de formação, entre outros. O presente estudo se desenvolveu por meio da pesquisa qualitativa, exploratória e documental realizada a partir de dados levantados nos documentos oficiais do PNAIC e nos documentos de adesão ao Pacto, obtidos por meio da Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Jataí-GO. Para a discussão teórica e a análise os dados, esta pesquisadora utilizou como aporte teórico os métodos Materialismo Histórico Dialético e Pedagogia Histórico-Crítica. Estudar o PNAIC sob essa perspectiva oportunizou compreendê-lo como uma singularidade no contexto educacional e melhor entender como ele se expressa na organização capitalista e seus nexos com a totalidade social. Os dados analisados reafirmam uma realidade já conhecida dos pesquisadores em educação: gastam-se verbas imensuráveis com programas, metas e ações descontínuas e fragmentadas, implantadas sem a participação dos principais interessados – alunos, pais, professores e comunidade. E, ainda, mostram que houve mudanças nos níveis de proficiência em leitura e escrita, especificamente, nas escolas da rede municipal de ensino, de Jataí-GO, de acordo com a Avaliação Nacional da Alfabetização (ANA), realizada em 2013 e 2014, independentemente de as escolas elevaram ou não o índice de formação dos professores alfabetizadores por meio de sua participação nos grupos de formação do PNAIC, confirmando que não se pode nivelar o processo de alfabetização pelo fato de cada escola apresentar uma realidade peculiar.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-03T14:50:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 sandravaleriacavalcanti.pdf: 877298 bytes, checksum: c8c6bc83beaaa8afceaf1dc081901fde (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-07T15:16:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 sandravaleriacavalcanti.pdf: 877298 bytes, checksum: c8c6bc83beaaa8afceaf1dc081901fde (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-07T15:16:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 sandravaleriacavalcanti.pdf: 877298 bytes, checksum: c8c6bc83beaaa8afceaf1dc081901fde (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-09 / O presente estudo analisou a implementação do Pacto Pela Educação, como uma política pública destinada na melhoria educacional, em três escolas estaduais da região Mata Sul de Pernambuco, identificando quais aspectos da política foram positivos na gestão escolar e quais propostas necessitam de ajustes para contribuir na melhoria do aprendizado dos alunos. A pesquisa justifica-se pelo fato de as escolas selecionadas estarem inseridas em municípios com baixos Índices de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) e apresentarem baixos resultados no Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação de Pernambuco (IDEPE). No desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi utilizada a metodologia quantitativa, levantando-se informações através de visitas nas escolas utilizando-se roteiros de entrevistas. A política foi investigada sob a visão de pais, alunos, professores, gestores e servidores das referidas unidades escolares, onde foram aplicados questionários com perguntas abertas e realizadas entrevistas com estes. A fundamentação teórica deste trabalho tem como autores Carvalho (2008), Mainardes (2006), Lück (2000), Gadotti (1997), Nóvoa (1995), e Hoffmann (1991), que abordam o significado de uma política pública educacional, a interpretação, intervenção e recriação desta, destacando a importância da participação dos envolvidos na implementação, no monitoramento, acompanhamento e planejamento da política no processo ensino-aprendizagem, bem como a aproximação e interação da família ao ambiente escolar. Ao final, apresenta-se um Plano de Ação Educacional, cujo objetivo é fortalecer e ampliar as ações educacionais e cuja proposta de acompanhamento, que será utilizada como instrumento de intervenção, consiste em fazer um levantamento diagnóstico a partir da análise do processo e da prática em sala de aula, visando a melhorar o resultado das Escolas em estudo. O Plano de Ação Educacional, desenvolvido a partir da observação e acompanhamento das Escolas pesquisadas, busca identificar quais ações foram exitosas nas unidades de ensino e quais ações necessitam ser aperfeiçoadas. / This study analyzed the implementation of the Pact for Education, as a public policy aimed at educational improvement in three state schools in the South Forest region of Pernambuco, identifying which aspects of policy were positive in school management and proposals which require adjustments to contribute to the improvement of student learning. The research is justified by the fact that the selected schools are placed in municipalities with low Human Development Index (HDI) and have low results in the Pernambuco Education Development Index (IDEPE). The development of research, quantitative methodology was used, rising information through visits in schools using interview scripts. The policy was investigated from the perspective of parents, students, teachers, managers and staff of these school units, which were applied questionnaires with open questions and interviews with them. The theoretical foundation of this work is to Carvalho authors (2008), Mainardes (2006), Lück (2000), Gadotti (1997), Nóvoa (1995) and Hoffmann (1991), which address the meaning of a public educational policy, interpretation, intervention and re-creation of this, highlighting the importance of the participation of those involved in the implementation, monitoring, monitoring and policy planning in the teaching-learning process and the approach and family interaction to the school environment. Finally, we present an Educational Action Plan, which aims to strengthen and expand educational activities and the proposal of monitoring, which will be used as an instrument of intervention is to make a diagnosis survey from process analysis and practice in the classroom in order to improve the results of the schools in the study. The Education Action Plan, developed from observation and monitoring of the surveyed schools, seeks to identify what actions have been successful in teaching units and what actions need to be improved.

In education policy, the irresistible force paradox—what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?—resonates with many characterisations of the dynamics of education reform and the role of teachers’ unions in reform processes. According to many theories of teachers’ unions in the United States, the paradox is resolved in favour of the immovable object: strong teachers’ unions are alleged to block necessary reforms, hampering school effectiveness and efficiency. This research tests these claims about teachers’ unions, and their impact on reform outcomes—particularly, performance-related pay. Despite teachers’ unions’ supposed opposition to performance-related pay (PRP), there are a number of cases—both within and beyond U.S. borders—where PRP has been implemented. By exploring some of these ‘exceptional’ cases, this research outlines the conditions under which reform is likely to occur, and a more specific explanation of reform ‘failure’. It finds that, though education reform is often portrayed as a power struggle between reform proponents and opponents, there are multiple pathways through which reform may occur. Overpowering unions might be one route, but reform can also be secured through cooperation and compromise. These insights have significant implications for theories of teachers’ unions’ strength, preferences, and policy impact. The findings demonstrate that the insufficiency of existing theoretical accounts. Neither union preferences nor power are simple, monolithic, or predictable, and teachers’ unions do not and cannot block reform at all times and in all places. Beyond theory, these findings carry weighty implications for practitioners regarding the role of unions in public policy decision-making.

Oportunidades is a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) that uses a proxy means-test targeting model to select eligible households for the programme. According to the Income and Expenditure Household Survey of 2008, approximately two in every three eligible rural households participate in Oportunidades, whereas only one in every three eligible urban households receives the Oportunidades cash transfer. This research explores the factors behind this lack of take-up, the costs of participation and the implications of targeting inefficiency on the programme’s impact on income poverty. It argues that a sample selection model is a pertinent tool of analysis as it informs on the distribution of cash transfers conditional on household eligibility. This conditional distribution is also used to understand the costs of participation as a latent variable. Eligible households are less likely to invest in human capital and neither the cash transfer nor the income forgone by children and teenagers are sufficient to overcome these costs of participation. By identifying a method to quantify behavioural change of households, I associate the costs of participation to the difficulties of inducing health-related behavioural change among recipients and eligible non-recipients. At an aggregate state level, targeting inefficiency is not fully explained by only looking at the budget constraints of the programme. In fact, targeting efficiency is positively associated to aggregate behavioural change and negatively associated to aggregate costs for participation at state level. Yet, targeting efficiency does not guarantee impact on income poverty and Oportunidades’ highest impact on income poverty also associated with the inclusion of non-eligible households in the programme. This research reconsiders the importance of the context in which CCTs are implemented and informs on the conflicting aims of CCTs: providing income poverty relief via cash transfers and incentivizing behavioural change by conditioning the cash transfer in health and education investment.