A growing body of writing research suggests college students’ and teachers’ conceptualizations of writing play an important role in learning to write and making the transition from secondary to post-secondary academic composition. First-year college writers are not blank slates; rather, they bring many assumptions and beliefs about academic writing to the first-year writing classroom from exposure to a wide range of literate practices throughout their lives. Metaphor acts as a way for scholars to trace students’ as well as their instructors’ assumptions and beliefs about writing. In this study, I contend that metaphor is a pathway to meta-cognitive awareness, mindfulness, and reflection. This multi-method descriptive study applies metaphor analysis to a corpus of more than a dozen first-year composition students’ endof-semester writing portfolios; the study also employs an auto-ethnographic approach to examining this author’s texts composed as a graduate student and novice teacher. In several cases writing students in this study appeared to reconfigure their metaphors for writing and subsequently reconsider their assumptions about writing. My literature review and analysis suggests that metaphor remains an underutilized inventive and reflective strategy in composition pedagogy. Based on these results, I suggest that instructors consider how metaphoric competence might offer writers and writing instructors an alternate means for operationalizing key habits of mind such as meta-cognitive awareness, reflection, openness to learning, and creativity as recommended in the Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing. Ultimately, I argue that writers and teachers might benefit from adopting a more flexible attitude towards metaphor. As a rhetorical trope, metaphors are contextual and, thus, writers need to learn to mix, discard, create, and obscure metaphors as required by the situation.

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The quest for a better way to learn and teach programming, in particular object-oriented programming, is a challenge that continues to intrigue computer science educators. Even after decades of research in learning to program, educators still search for the optimal instructional approach that will solve the `learning to program effectively' problem among introductory programming students. The aim of this study was to gain insight into, and to suggest possible explanations for, the "qualitatively different ways" in which students experience learning to program using an object-oriented programming language, and to recommend teaching and learning strategies as a result of the outcomes of the research. In order to achieve these aims, a combination of phenomenographic research methods and elements of activity theory have been employed to gain an in depth understanding of pre- and in-service teachers' learning experiences. The categories of description for the phenomenon, learning to program and the influence of the learning context have been analysed and described in detail. It is argued that understanding learning to program using Java, in order to teach programming involves more than understanding learning to program as it is normally taught in university programming courses. In addition to object-oriented concepts such as message passing, inheritance, polymorphism, delegation and overriding, it entails understanding how learning to program is reflected in the goals of instruction and in different instructional practices. Knowledge of learning to program must also be linked to knowledge of students' thinking, so that teachers have conceptions of typical trajectories of student learning, and can use this knowledge to recognize landmarks of understanding in individuals. The findings suggest relationships among students' affective appraisals of the value of learning to program, their conceptions of learning to program, their approaches to learning it, their evaluations of their performance in tests and examinations and outcomes of their actions. The relationships emerged from student descriptions of their actions and the way in which different aspects of their learning and outcomes related to one another were qualitatively described and in some cases, quantified. In particular, the tensions between prior programming knowledge of a procedural language and current learning of an object-oriented language have emerged in the study. This has implications for teaching, as this study was set against the backdrop of the change in programming language in high schools, from a procedural to an object-oriented language. / Mathematical Sciences / PhD (Maths, Science and Technology Education)

Practical work forms an integral part of physical science. Most schools in Venda have no laboratories for practical work. Teachers use the telling method. Students learn by rote. They learn without understanding science concepts. They cannot apply their knowledge to real life situations. This research investigates the use of equipment from inexpensive material in teaching physical science. Teachers trained to improvise equipment use them in classroom teaching. These help teachers to understand many science concepts and use the process approach in their teaching. The research found that when science is taught through experiments with improvised apparatus, student learning occurs at various domains of science education. The bad effects of lack of facilities for practical work are mostly eliminated. Meaningful learning leads to the understanding of science concepts. Students construct their own knowledge, apply it to any situation and enjoy learning the subject. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Like so many aspects of South African society, teacher education is undergoing change. The researcher studied existing school-based in-service education and training (SBINSET) programmes in the Northern Province and to improve the programmes, proposes Continuous Self-Renewal School-Based INSET (CSR SB INSET). Based on the extensive literature survey, strategies that would improve effective educational transformation are identified. Different concepts of INSET are explained. Components of teacher education are examined as are those factors that influence educational transformation. Advantages and limitations are identified and guidance on how to overcome these are suggested. The aim of this study was to examine INSET towards educational transformation with reference to primary schools in the Northern Province in order to introduce and assess a CSR SBINSET. The study examines the existing SBINSET programmes which are run in the Northern Province. The importance of teachers' continued professional growth is emphasised throughout this study. The researcher views systematic in-service training programmes for teachers as an educational necessity for the continuing professional growth of primary school teachers. An empirical survey has been undertaken to ascertain the effectiveness of CSR SBINSET and the type of delivery strategy that may be implemented.The research considers particular aspects of classroom practice addressed in the programme. The research was guided by the following questions: + Which methods do teachers use in their subject teaching? + What are their approaches to learners and learning? + How do teachers reflect on their teaching? + What strategies do teachers use? This research aims to improve existing SBINSET programmes run in the Northern Province inter alia by observing practising teachers. CSR SBINSET attempts to improve the competencies teachers, lecturers and District Officials, through such means as the presentation of centre-based, school-based and cluster-based workshops. Although the educational authorities should take initiative to provide educational transformation, the following share responsibility in this vital aspect of education: + those in the Department of Education who are responsible for planning; + superintendents of education within districts and regions; + training institutions such as universities, technikons, colleges and private agencies. The importance of and necessity for, continuous professional development of primary school teachers by means of SBINSET programmes, is emphasised. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Curriculum 2005 together with its learning areas has been introduced in South Africa in 1998. All learning areas, except Technology Learning Area, are not new. Technology is growing so rapidly that it gives so many challenges to people. These challenges include making technology part of our curriculum, formulating and adapting technological solutions to problems people may experience. We have to ask ourselves what technology or Technology Education means. Therefore, this study provides the meaning and the rationale for Technology Education in our curriculum. This study also attempts to shed light on the form of training educators should attend for Technology Education. Although there are different methods of training, for example PRESET and INSET, this study concentrates on various forms of INSET. INSET is chosen because it is a means through which the present need for Technology Education educators can be solved. The percentage of educators involved in part-time study will increase in relation to the number in full-time education. The closing down of some of colleges of education in South Africa reduces the use of PRESET and increases INSET as a means of educator training. The advantages of using INSET instead of PRESET are provided in this study. The National Teacher Audit of 1995 has shown that the quality of INSET in South Africa is poor. In addition, it seems the present ad hoc way of running INSET will not cope with challenges of training educators for Curriculum 2005 and Technology Education. Normally, INSET is the prime strategy for addressing problems in PRESET. Unfortunately, INSET has to train educators for Technology Education (Technology Learning Area) which was never touched by PRESET before. For this reason, this study provides an INSET model, guidelines and recommendations to make the suggested model of INSET work successfully. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:24:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Renata Almeida Martins.pdf: 1453359 bytes, checksum: 8034082e67cead89b15f3a1453d9a0a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-10-09 / Secretaria da Educação do Estado de São Paulo / This research aims at describing and interpreting the phenomenon of participation of public school English teachers in a continuing education course. It is justified by the need to also understand what involves my own participation in many continuing education courses with the purpose of gathering subsidies that provide me directing, coordinating, supervising, and developing courses of this kind. This research is theoretically grounded on studies about pre-service teacher education (Imbernon, 2000, Vianna, 2004; Martins, 2004, Santos and Mendes Sobrinho, 2006; Gómez, 1995; Mizukami, 2002; Brito, 2006, Contreras, 2002; Brazil, 2002) ; continuing teacher education (Marin, 1995; Mizukami, 2002; Destro, 1995; Contreras, 2002; Smyth, 1991); English teachers education (Celani, 2002; Paiva, 2005; Dutra, 2003, Brazil, 2001, Castro, 1999 ; Celani and Collins, 2003) and concepts of reflection (Schön, 1995, 2000). The methodological approach adopted in this study was the hermeneutic-phenomenological one (van Manen, 1990, Freire, 2007). The description and interpretation of the phenomenon in focus was undertaken through textual registers obtained through questionnaires answered by 57 student-teachers enrolled in a three-semester continuing education course offered to public school English teachers. The research results reveal that participation of public school English teachers in that continuing education courses is unique, since it results in a constant search for improvement and also in change related to practice. The results also allow me to say that the research phenomenon was experienced in three different ways because each semester was played by a different group of student-teachers who was in a different period of the course and into a different reflective moment as well / Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo descrever e interpretar o fenômeno da participação de professores de inglês da rede pública de ensino em um curso de formação contínua e justifica-se pela necessidade de também entender o que envolve a minha participação em vários cursos de formação contínua com a finalidade de obter subsídios que me proporcionem dirigir, coordenar, supervisionar, bem como elaborar cursos dessa natureza. Fundamentam teoricamente esta pesquisa, estudos sobre: formação inicial (Imbernón, 2000; Vianna, 2004; Martins, 2004; Santos e Mendes Sobrinho, 2006; Gómez, 1995; Mizukami, 2002; Brito, 2006; Contreras, 2002; Brasil, 2002); formação contínua (Marin, 1995; Mizukami, 2002; Destro, 1995; Contreras, 2002); formação de professores de inglês (Celani, 2002; Paiva, 2005; Dutra, 2003; Brasil, 2001; Castro, 1999; Celani e Collins, 2003) e conceitos sobre reflexão (Schön, 1995, 2000) A abordagem metodológica adotada nessa pesquisa foi a hermenêutico-fenomenológica (van Manen, 1990; Freire, 2007). A descrição e interpretação do fenômeno em foco foi feita a partir de registros textuais, obtidos por meio de questionários respondidos por 57 professores-alunos, participantes dos três semestres de um curso de formação contínua oferecido a professores de inglês da rede pública de ensino. Os resultados da pesquisa revelam que a participação de professores de inglês da rede pública de ensino em cursos de formação contínua é único, pois decorre de uma constante busca por aprimoramento e mudança em relação à prática. Os resultados também me permitem afirmar que o fenômeno investigado foi vivenciado de três formas diferentes, pois cada semestre foi vivido por um grupo de professores-alunos que se encontravam em um momento diferente do curso e também em um momento reflexivo diferente