Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) put many interventions in place to provide quality education to all schools, but barriers still remained in low-income communities. Most barriers developed due to inadequate resources such as: poor teacher training, lack of community involvement, lack of transportation, poor service delivery and sustainability within the community. Numerous communities suffered discrimination in the form of unjust distribution of social benefits and resources. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), however, expects all learners to follow the same curriculum and achieve the same type of quality education. This is impossible when schools have inadequate resources. The aim of the research was therefore to explore how teachers understood the concept of quality education through their lived experiences at a low-income school. This exploration took into account what teachers viewed as contributing to or hindering a quality education, both at personal and interpersonal levels in the school. It also considered how the school system, the WCED and the social environment contributed to positive or negative outcomes regarding quality. This was important as teachers were seen as the key agents towards change in quality education. Social constructionism and a social justice approach provided the foundation of this research and enabled the voices of previously disadvantaged communities to be heard. In keeping with the theoretical frameworks of the study, a qualitative, interpretivist research approach was used. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and focus group discussions as well as individual interviews were used to generate data. Digital audio recordings were made of the group and individual sessions, which were then transcribed. The data collected in this study were analysed through thematic analysis. The research findings indicated that teachers experienced numerous barriers with regards to contextual factors and unjust distribution of resources. Furthermore, teachers reflected that with good pedagogy they were able to maintain quality education, by teaching a curriculum that was relevant to the context of the learner, even when resources were limited. This process was very time-consuming and not cost-effective. However, even though teachers were able to recognise the barriers present in their school they insisted that there were many positive aspects to working in a low-income school. These findings led to recommendations that were centred largely on meeting some of the support needs of teachers in low-income communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement (WKOD) het baie intervensies in plek gestel om gehalte-onderrig te verskaf aan alle skole, maar baie hindernisse was steeds teenwoordig in lae-inkomste gemeenskappe. Baie van die hindernisse het ontstaan as gevolg van onvoldoende hulpbronne soos: swak onderwysopleiding, gebrekkige gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid, onvoldoende vervoer, swak dienslewering en volhoubaarheid in die gemeenskap. Daar was teen talle gemeenskappe gediskrimineer in terme van ongelyke verspreiding van sosiale voordele en hulpbronne. Die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV) verwag egter dat alle leerders dieselfde kurrikulum volg en dieselfde tipe gehalte-onderrig behaal. Dit is onmoontlik om te bereik indien skole onvoldoende hulpbronne het. Die doel van die navorsing was dus om onderwysers se konsep van gehalte-onderrig te verstaan deur hulle beleefde ervaring in ʼn lae-inkomste skool te ondersoek. Die ondersoek het in ag geneem wat onderwysers beskou het as ʼn bydrae of ʼn hindernis tot gehalte-onderrig, op sowel persoonlike as interpersoonlike vlak in die skool. Daar is ook gelet op watter positiewe of negatiewe invloede die skoolsisteem, die WKOD en die sosiale omgewing op gehalte-onderrig het. Dit word as belangrik geag omdat onderwysers gesien word as die belangrikste agente vir verandering in gehalte-onderwys. Sosiale konstruksionisme en ʼn sosiale geregtigheidsbenadering is die grondslag van hierdie navorsing en stel die stemme van voorheen benadeelde gemeenskappe in staat om gehoor te word. In ooreenstemming met die teoretiese raamwerke van die studie is ʼn kwalitatiewe, interpretivistiese navorsingsbenadering gebruik. Die deelnemers is deur middel van doelgerigte steekproeftrekking geselekteer en fokusgroepbesprekings en individuele onderhoude is gebruik om data te genereer. Digitale klankopnames is gemaak van die groep- en individuele sessies, wat toe getranskribeer is. Die data wat in hierdie studie ingesamel is, is ontleed deur middel van tematiese analise. Die navorsing het aangedui dat onderwysers talle struikelblokke ondervind het met betrekking tot kontekstuele faktore en onregverdige verspreiding van hulpbronne. Verder het onderwysers weerspieël dat hulle met goeie pedagogie in staat was om gehalte-onderwys te beoefen deur die kurrikulum binne die konteks van die leerder te onderrig, selfs wanneer hulpbronne beperk was. Hierdie proses het egter baie tyd in beslag geneem en was nie koste-effektief nie. Selfs al was onderwysers in staat om die struikelblokke in hul skool te herken, het hulle steeds die positiewe aspekte van werk in ʼn lae-inkomste skool uitgelig. Hierdie bevindinge het gelei tot aanbevelings wat grootliks handel oor ondersteuning van die onderwysers in lae-inkomste gemeenskappe deur vervulling van hulle behoeftes.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Based on these research findings, policy implications for education bureau, school leaders and teachers, and suggestions for further research were addressed. / Textbooks have played an important role in teachers' work. Most of the teachers in mainland China used textbooks adopted by the local district authority, but there has been a huge research gap in empirical study on textbook use in mainland China. This study was guided by three major research questions: How do teachers use textbooks? How do teachers use textbooks in planning and making decisions about classroom teaching? How do different factors influence the use of textbooks? Adopting a qualitative approach of inquiry, this study involved seventeen teachers from three primary schools. Data was generated from participant observation, in-depth interview, and document analysis. / The discussion chapter uses theories of teachers' habitus. Teachers followed a certain set of routines when using textbook, gradually these routines had become a kind of habitus. Habitus became part of school context where primary education was characterized by exam-oriented tradition, trivialization of work, low status of teachers and conservatism. / The research findings suggested that teachers could be grouped into three different categories: dependent-type, adaptive-type and flexible-type. Teachers of different subjects exhibit different levels of dependence on textbooks, with the highest level of dependence among Chinese language teachers who follow closely an instruction routine of recitation. Mathematics teachers came next and then moral education teachers whose flexible teaching style was attributed to the fact that moral education was not an examination subject on a district wide level. Teachers of different age cohorts exhibit different levels of dependence on textbooks. Novice teachers depended on textbooks, while experienced teachers did not fall into a single category of dependence or adaptation. Those Chinese and Mathematics teachers who demonstrated the highest level of flexibility in using textbooks belonged to the intermediate stage between novice teacher and experienced teacher. / Why did teachers use textbooks in this manner? First, examination was a major factor which shaped the pattern of using textbooks. It was a deeply rooted factor because it was internalized as part of teachers' beliefs. Teachers of dependent-type and adaptive-type thought highly of examination, while teachers of flexible-type regarded examination merely as baseline of instruction. The latter had built their teaching styles on what they learned from educational research. School principals played the role of a "gate-keeper" during the process of teacher development and educational research. Another major factor that affected all teachers was the pre-existing condition and emergent behavior of their students. Comparatively speaking, teachers of flexible-type were more responsive to students' needs, and were more concerned about emergent behavior of their students. / 王世偉. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: 1912. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 278-297). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Wang Shiwei.

by Cheung Wai-wan Vivian. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-137). / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi i / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Background and problem of the study --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purpose of the study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of the study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Definition of terms --- p.5 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- The changing paradigms of assessment in the past decades --- p.10 / Psychometrics --- p.11 / Educational measurement --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- The nature and purposes of assessment --- p.12 / Chapter 2.4 --- Assessment in relation to different learning models --- p.14 / Traditional models of learning --- p.14 / Cognitive and constructivist models of learning --- p.15 / Chapter 2.5 --- Major forms of educational assessment --- p.16 / Norm-referenced versus cri terion-referenced assessment --- p.16 / Formative versus summative assessment --- p.18 / Performance versus authentic assessment --- p.19 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY / Chapter 3.1 --- The examination culture of Hong Kong --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Target Oriented Curriculum (TOC) of Hong Kcng --- p.24 / Chapter 3.3 --- The Targe´tؤoriented Assessment (TOA) and its relation with learning and teaching --- p.26 / The Targe´tؤoriented Assessment (TOA) --- p.26 / Chapter 3.4 --- Role of teachers in Target-oriented Assessment --- p.29 / Chapter 3.5 --- Some possible factors affecting teachers' conceptions towards assessment within TOA --- p.31 / Chapter 3.6 --- Curriculum implementation and the factors affecting teachers' attitudes towards implementation --- p.32 / Chapter 3.7 --- Research on teachers' conceptions of assessment --- p.34 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- METHODOLOGY / Chapter 4.1 --- Research questions of the study --- p.37 / Chapter 4.2 --- Theoretical considerations of the choice of interview type and interview questions --- p.38 / On the choice of interview type --- p.38 / On the choice of interview questions --- p.39 / The ordering of interview questions --- p.41 / Considerations before and during interviews --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3 --- Subjects --- p.42 / The pilot study --- p.42 / The main study --- p.43 / Chapter 4.4 --- Procedures --- p.44 / The pi1ot study --- p.44 / The main study --- p.44 / Chapter 4.5 --- Data analysis --- p.45 / Chapter 4.6 --- Interview questions for the pilot study --- p.46 / Description of the interview questions --- p.47 / Chapter 4.7 --- The pilot study --- p.49 / The standardized open-ended interview --- p.49 / The use of controlled contexts in eliciting responses --- p.49 / The finalization of interview questions for the main study --- p.50 / Chapter 4.8 --- Interview questions for the main study --- p.51 / Chapter 4.9 --- Limitations --- p.52 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION / Chapter 5.1 --- "Teachers' perception of the purposes of educational assessment, and the relationships between teaching, learning and assessment" --- p.53 / On the purposes of educational assessment --- p.53 / On teachers' definition of educational assessment --- p.55 / On the relationships between assessment and teaching --- p.56 / On the relationships between assessment and learning --- p.58 / Sommary --- p.59 / Chapter 5.2 --- Analysis of teachers' conceptions of educational assessment --- p.59 / The focus of educational assessment --- p.59 / On the choice of assessment activities --- p.62 / Summative versus formative assessment --- p.64 / On the collection of learning evidence --- p.67 / On the reporting of assessment results --- p.69 / Summary --- p.71 / Chapter 5.3 --- Holistic categorization of teachers' conceptions towards assessment --- p.73 / The criterion-referenced-and-qualitative conception --- p.76 / The norm-referenced-and-quantitative conception --- p.77 / The pseudo-criterion-referenced-and- qualitative conception --- p.79 / Chapter 5.4 --- Self-reported factors affecting teachers' conceptions towards assessment --- p.83 / Chapter 5.5 --- Teachers' knowledge of the major forms of assessment --- p.86 / Chapter 5.6 --- Teachers' attitudes towards the implementation of TOC --- p.89 / On the necessity of implementing TOC --- p.89 / On the worthiness to implement TOC --- p.92 / On teachers' choice of the types of curriculum --- p.95 / Chapter 5.7 --- The relationship between teachers' conceptions of assessment and their views towards the implementation of TOC --- p.97 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- "CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS" / Chapter 6 1 --- Conclusions --- p.102 / Chapter 6.2 --- Implications --- p.107 / Chapter 6.3 --- Recommendations --- p.111 / Chapter 6.4 --- Future research --- p.113 / APPENDICES / Chapter A. --- Questionnaire on the personal particulars of TOC teachers participated in the study --- p.115 / Chapter B. --- Questionnaire on the personal particulars of non-TOC teachers participated in the study --- p.116 / Chapter C. --- Controlled contexts used in the interview --- p.117 / Chapter D. --- Characteristics of TOC and non-TOC teachers participated in the pilot study --- p.122 / Chapter E. --- Background information of TOC and non-TOC teachers participated in the main study --- p.123 / Chapter F. --- Profiles of conceptions of assessment of TOC and non-TOC teachers participated in the main study --- p.125 / REFERENCES --- p.131

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

In November 1998, the Hong Kong Government published the policy document entitled "Information Technology for Learning in a New Era Five-Year Strategy 1998/99 to 2002/03" and defined the goals and the scope of the development of Information Technology in education in Hong Kong. One of the goals is to encourage using Information Technology (I.T.) in education and to promote students' ability in handling information. As the role of I.T. is becoming more and more important in education, schools themselves have also implemented I.T. to various extents. The main purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of the external environment on the development of I.T. in Hong Kong primary schools and examine also the relationship between the use of I.T. in education and teaching effectiveness in Hong Kong primary schools. / Recommendations have been made for school administrators' consideration in the development of I.T. systems in primary schools and ways of improving teaching effectiveness. Further areas of investigation into the relationship between the development of I.T. in education and teaching effectiveness in primary schools are also recommended. / The results of the research indicate that: (1) the "Policy" factor and "Funding" factor had a high, significant correlation with the different aspects of I.T. development of Hong Kong primary schools; (2) a school with well-developed I.T. had a positive significant correlation with "Teaching Effectiveness". / The School Environment Constraint Instrument developed by Lam (1989) was adopted to meet the context of Hong Kong primary schools and modified for this study. Two new factors "New Arrivals" and "Language Policy" are used to replace the original factors of 'Ethnicity' and 'Second Language'. The other two research instruments which measured "Information Technology Development" and "Teaching Effectiveness" were developed by the Researcher. / This study uses a quantitative approach to achieve the above purposes. Questionnaires were sent to 823 teachers from 25 Hong Kong primary schools to solicit their views on the impact of I.T. in school education, the use of I.T. education and their perceptions of teaching effectiveness. / 關李榮. / Adviser: Sun Keung Nicholas Pang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0454. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-246). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Guan Lirong.

"Dec 2003." / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 224-246). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.