An assumption that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and economic development have an automatic linkage has gained wide acceptance over the last decade. As a result, developing countries are under pressure to apply this prescription as a solution to poverty. With the help of development partners in the developed world and the United Nations, developing countries have embraced this call to increase access to ICTs to bridge the ever-widening gap between the ‘information rich’ and ‘information poor’ (Castells, 2001). One of the strategies has been the establishment of telecentres where the least privileged people might access ICTs for their own development needs. However, this strategy has tended to overlook contextual factors and circumstances in developing countries. ICTs are thus being introduced in an environment of mass poverty, illiteracy and poor infrastructure, exacerbating existing inequalities in some cases. Much attention has been focussed on initiatives aimed at expanding the ICT infrastructure for wider population access without addressing what the users actually do with such access. This study aims to make a contribution in that direction. The study focuses on Nakaseke Community Multi-media Centre(CMC), the first telecentre introduced in Uganda in 1997. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, the study sets out to develop deeper insights into how the Nakaseke community uses, engages with and relates with communication technologies installed at the telecentre. It probes whether these practices advance the dominant view that ICTs are a panacea for rural development. The findings indicate that while access to communication technology has expanded, albeit at a slow pace, the benefits might take very long to have a significant effect as many targeted users do not make use of the facilities because they lack the human skills and financial resources to exploit the technologies. Other problems such as poor electricity supply and sustainability also actively militate against the potential of the project to deliver. Besides, people tend to appropriate technology in ways different from those intended by its promoters. As Burton (2002) explains through the concept of ‘affordances’ and ‘culture’, some users perceive technologies essentially as something that bestows the status of being modern or sophisticated on their community, rather than as a development tool. In conclusion, it is argued that if used for development, ICTs can indeed make a difference in the lives of rural people. However, besides investing in technology, there is need to invest more in empowering the people themselves with skills, particularly literacy, to enable them use ICTs productively.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Media Studies) / One of the problems facing formal education in South Africa today is that. of coping with the educational needs of a fast developing country. An important recommendation of the De Lange Report was that educational technology should be utilised to alleviate this problem. Educational television, especially the use of video, is regarded as one of the most important technological media which can assist in this matter. A study was undertaken in the use of educational television in developing and developed countries in resolving educational problems. The role of teacher training in the successful implementation of educational television was also scrutinised. It was found that teacher training played a decisive role in the successful use of this medium. Teachers inadequately trained in the use of the medium lacked the knowledge to use it properly in the classroom. They also showed a resistance to the medium. At· present educational television in South Africa is aimed at non-formal educational needs but from 1 April 1986 the SABC will commence the broadcasting of formal educational programmes. In this study it is thus recommended that training courses in the use of educational television should be instituted at all "teacher training centres in South Africa and that all educational departments should give attention to the formal and non-formal training of in-service teachers .. Guidelines for a training course are suggested in this study. The contents of such a course would include components like television literacy, television and cognition, the analysis and evaluation of programmes, integration with the various subjects, the use and compilation of· support material and small scale television production. It is also recommended that the course should comprise lectures in theory and practical work sessions. -These practical work sessions would be regarded as the most important part of the course.

Advanced Placement and dual credit programs are designed for high school students and are used to earn college credit and possibly gain college admissions advantages. The present research examined the impact of participation in one or both programs on four-year college graduation rates. Findings indicated significant differences between the programs as well as with students who did not participate in either program. Students in AP achieved the highest four-year graduation rate, followed by students in dual credit, both programs, and neither program. These findings indicate the need for further study to determine whether the programs substantially contribute to four-year graduation rates and what the implications are.

Orientador: Anita Liberalesso Neri / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T14:15:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Patrocinio_WandaPereira_D.pdf: 5331714 bytes, checksum: ec5688135d7ec8de33b5a7b15586799f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Objetivos: Implementar um programa de educação popular em saúde para um envelhecimento saudável em duas comunidades da cidade de Campinas, baseado na perspectiva de Paulo Freire e na política de envelhecimento ativo (OMS); verificar a influência deste programa sobre a mudança de atitudes dos idosos em relação à velhice, à saúde, à participação social e a aspectos psicossociais. Métodos: foram realizadas intervenções educacionais em dois grupos de idosos residentes em região de baixo índice de vulnerabilidade social (N = 5) e médio índice de vulnerabilidade social (N = 11) com delineamento pré-teste, intervenção, pós-teste e seguimento, no qual a intervenção consistiu em um encontro semanal de 150 minutos, de agosto a dezembro de 2009. As medidas incluíram questionários e escalas sobre variáveis sociodemográficas, psicossociais, de participação social, de saúde e sobre atitudes em relação à velhice. Os programas foram elaborados com temas escolhidos pelos idosos. Resultados: Análises estatísticas e de conteúdo mostraram mudança nas atitudes em relação à velhice, com diminuição de opiniões negativas, aumento das positivas; percepção de que a velhice comporta tanto ganhos como perdas; melhora no tempo diário de prática de atividade física; e melhora no consumo diário de verduras e legumes para os dois grupos; as pontuações em satisfação com a vida foram geralmente altas; as avaliações de saúde percebida foram positivas. Conclusões: O desenvolvimento de um programa educacional baseado no modelo de Paulo Freire e realizado de forma multidisciplinar, com conteúdos adequados e de interesse dos idosos resultou em melhora em aspectos da qualidade de vida dos participantes. Os resultados sugerem que intervenções deste tipo podem favorecer a saúde física e mental de idosos. / Abstract: Objectives: This study was aimed to implement a program of popular health education toward healthy aging in two communities of Campinas, based on the perspective of Paulo Freire and the politics of active aging (WHO) and to verify the influence of the program on the attitudes of the participants toward old age, health, social participation and psychosocial aspects. Methods: educational interventions were performed in two groups of community dwelling-elderly from regions of low and intermediary social vulnerability index, with pretest, intervention, post-test and follow-up design. The intervention consisted of a weekly meeting of 150 minutes, from August to December 2009. Measurements were taken by questionnaires and scales of sociodemographic, psychosocial, social participation, health variables, as well as images of aging. The programs included themes chosen by the participants. Results: Statistical and content analysis showed change of the attitudes toward aging, reduction the negative evaluations, increasing of positive ones, and perception of old age as a stage that comprises both gains and losses, improvement in daily physical activity and improvement of the intake of vegetables. The scores were generally high in all measures for satisfaction with life; ratings of perceived health were high in both groups. Conclusions: An educational program based on the model of Paulo Freire and multidisciplinary in nature, showed to be effective to the improvement of quality of life aspects of the participants. The results suggest that such interventions can promote the physical and mental health of elderly. / Doutorado / Psicologia Educacional / Doutor em Educação

The thesis, as the title suggests, is devoted to education in Geography. More specifically, the work analyzes teaching Geography at Prague grammar schools. The work objective is to assess the effects of the ongoing curriculum amendments on teaching Geography and to assess, analyze and review: a) The differences in the approach towards education in Geography at individual Prague high schools. b) The ideas of Geography teachers themselves on how much time should be devoted to particular geographical topics or topics otherwise related to Geography. Next, the work assesses the homogeneity of opinions in this respect. It also studies the homogeneity of particular Geography theme plans at individual schools also with respect to the planned change in school leaving exams. The work is based on a critical assessment of expert materials concerning the school reform. The empirical part itself is grounded in survey results and the assessment of directed interviews with 11 respondents, who are Geography teachers at 9 Prague grammar schools.

Researchers have described the special education identification process for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) as "muddled and confused" (Bocian, Beebe, MacMillan, & Gresham, 1999) and "haphazard" and "capricious" (Shinn, 2007, p. 603). Bocian, Beebe, MacMillan, and Gresham (1999) proposed the theory of competing paradigms as a way to explain why researchers and school-based eligibility teams identify different groups of students as SLD. This qualitative study had two research questions: a) To what extent did interviews of secondary resource teachers reveal the concepts of relativity, acceptability, and profitability as they reflect on the SLD process? and b) What other themes regarding SLD eligibility determination emerged from interviews with secondary resource teachers? Utilizing the modified constant comparative method (Lincoln & Guba, 1985), the author revealed that there was moderate support for the paradigms of relativity and acceptability, but less support for the paradigm of profitability. In addition, the author identified other themes, such as difficulties with evaluating English language learners and the benefit of case management, that can be used to expand Bocian’s theory. The author also argued that the paradigms overlap with one another during the special education identification process, rather than proceeding in a sequential order. Finally, the author discussed the implications of her findings in terms of improving school-based and policy practices.

M.Ed. / Teaching and learning activity is characterised by effective communication. Teaching and learning as communication is successful when the learner has taken in new information with understanding. Effective teaching cannot take place unless effective communication takes place. On the other hand effective communication depends on media that are used in the teaching-learning activity (Heinich, et al, 1989: 13). In the teaching and learning of biology, educational media are important. The study of biology is a practical venture that requires the use of media e.g. realia, models, pictures and chemicals. Biology needs to be learnt through active participation, experience, observation and investigation by both the learner and the educator. This is not possible without the . use of media. In real life, the learner's senses are stimulated by media such as real objects, pictures, radio, television, books, etc. In the teaching of biology, the learner's senses must be equally stimulated. It is therefore necessary that the biology teacher be continuously reminded of the Chinese proverb which says, " I hear, and I forget; I see and I remember. I do, and I understand" (Dwyer, 1993: 194).

This two-part study included a content analysis of an AP art history text and a survey together with interviews with AP art history teachers that embraced both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The first phase of the study examined one of the more popular art history survey texts in the AP art history program, Gardner’s Art through the Ages, in terms of how inclusive it is in addressing issues of sexual orientation and, particularly, same-sex perspectives. In addition, the text was examined for evidence of sexual orientation ignored – particularly same-sex perspectives ignored and for heteronormative hegemonies. The second phase investigated the understandings and opinions of AP art history teachers toward the inclusion of sexual orientation and same-sex perspectives in their curriculums and classrooms. Recent recognition of gay, lesbian, and same-sex perspectives in the study of art history has challenged art educators and art historians to begin to consider opening up their curriculums and writings to include these perspectives. These ignored perspectives produce important understandings that enrich and deepen the discourse of art history. The inclusion of gay and lesbian content and same-sex perspectives to the study of AP art history, not only effectively serves the needs of AP art history teachers, but it provides a more equitable and comprehensive visual arts education to students. The implications of this study are broad and complex. If students are to be well and comprehensively educated in the history of the visual arts, including discussions about the sexual orientation of gay and lesbian artists as well as artworks depicting same-sex perspectives is important. Similarly, their teachers must be well-informed and believe that including such material in the curriculum is important. There is definitely a need for designing more balanced and equitable AP art history programs that include gay and lesbian artists as well as same-sex perspectives. From a multicultural art education perspective, this study reveals that gays and lesbians are marginalized in a major AP art history survey text. It illuminates how an AP art history survey text and AP art history teachers’ attitudes and knowledge base on same-sex perspectives inform their curriculums, specifically concerning what’s important to teach in an AP art history classroom. If approved AP art history survey texts as well as the influential annual AP College Board art history exam included issues of sexual orientation, particularly same-sex perspectives, it would encourage more AP art history teachers to include gay and lesbian artists and same-sex perspectives in their curriculums.

Florida has been a leader in the K-20 educational reform in an effort to ensure the seamless transition into postsecondary education for all students, but specifically improving preparation for, and access to, higher education for populations traditionally marginalized and underrepresented in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic composition of students participating in dual enrollment programs in Florida, and the relationship between dual enrollment participation and postsecondary success, as measured by student persistence and degree attainment, moderated by race, gender, and Pell status. Alexander Astin's (1993) I-E-O student involvement theory was chosen as the theoretical lens with which to guide the design and analysis of the study. A quantitative analysis of archived student records retrieved from the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at a large urban state college in Florida was used in this study. ... The analysis revealed that students who were dual enrolled were more likely to persist in college and more likely to earn a degree than their non-dual enrolled peers. / by Karline S. Prophete. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.