This paper examines the popular philosophical theory of moral relativism. Traditionally, the theory argues that communities have their own conceptual frameworks of morality that are inaccessible to those outside of the community. Thus, one community cannot give another community a moral reason to change a practice. In this paper, I will examine David Velleman’s version of the theory presented in his book Foundations for Moral Relativism. This version posits that the drive towards mutual interpretability is a universal drive among human communities. From this drive stem all the practices and moral values of communities. However, Velleman does not believe that this implies that communities can understand each others’ conceptual frameworks. In this way, his account remains a normal version of moral relativism. I will argue that there are some cases in which a person can understand a different community’s conceptual framework enough to provide a reason for that community to change a practice. Importantly, my argument will not say that the reasons for change are moral reasons. They will be practical reasons based on the normative fact that human communities should strive towards mutual interpretability. Thus, my account will also maintain the crucial tenets of moral relativism. If accomplished, this argument will add a great power to the theory.

Economic indicators such as GDP have been a main indicator of human progress since the first half of last century. There is concern that continuing to measure our progress and / or wellbeing using measures that encourage consumption on a planet with limited resources, may not be ideal. Alternative measures of human progress, have a top down approach where the creators decide what the measure will contain. This work defines a 'bottom up' methodology an example of measuring human progress that doesn't require manual data reduction. The technique allows visual overlay of other 'factors' that users may feel are particularly important. I designed and wrote a genetic algorithm, which, in conjunction with regression analysis, was used to select the 'most important' variables from a large range of variables loosely associated with the topic. This approach could be applied in many areas where there are a lot of data from which an analyst must choose. Next I designed and wrote a genetic algorithm to explore the evolution of a spectral clustering solution over time. Additionally, I designed and wrote a genetic algorithm with a multi-faceted fitness function which I used to select the most appropriate clustering procedure from a range of hierarchical agglomerative methods. Evolving the algorithm over time was not successful in this instance, but the approach holds a lot of promise as an alternative to 'scoring' new data based on an original solution, and as a method for using alternate procedural options to those an analyst might normally select. The final solution allowed an evolution of the number of clusters with a fixed clustering method and variable selection over time. Profiling with various external data sources gave consistent and interesting interpretations to the clusters.

The nature of the decision-making processes and the resulting changes made in school programs and curricula in Indiana elementary schools was the focus of this research. The changes were required of these schools by the State of Indiana through the Performance-Based Accreditation division of the Indiana Department of Education. These schools were expected to make changes because they had performed below standard on the math portion of ISTEP+, the State standardized assessment test, during the 1997-98 school year. The objective of the study was to examine the perceptions of the participants as to the influence that mediating factors had on their schools' decision-making processes.The survey population consisted of principals and teachers from 18 Indiana elementary schools from accreditation group IV. In the 18 schools surveyed, 14 principals (78%) and 182 teachers (50%) responded. The participants were grouped as principals and teachers, and were organized for data analysis by location of their respective schools. Two of the schools were urban, seven suburban and nine were rural. The purpose of the study was to explore the decision-making processes used at these elementary schools. Little is known about these decision-making processes in schools that are faced with the requirement to make changes as the result of low test scores. Data gathered in the study included the types of changes and the factors influencing the change-related decisions. Through analysis of the data, the researcher attempted to gain insights that could be used to assist educators in future efforts relating to change and decision-making.Findings of the study indicated that schools primarily used new textbooks to address new approaches to the math curriculum and remediation programs or test skills programs to focus more specifically on improving test scores. The principals and teachers generally felt the decision-making processes in their schools were very collaborative; however, while teachers perceived those processes to be collaborative, their perception reflected a lesser degree of collaboration than the principals. Concern on the part of the teachers and principals for student learning and the school systems' accountability to the Preformance-Based Accreditation program were perceived as the factors having the greatest influence on the decisions to improve math performance. Clearly, these professionals felt the need to change; however, findings indicated that these changes were motivated in part by professionalism and, in part, by the pressures of accountability to the State.Recommendations for further study were included. / Department of Educational Leadership

Darbe atskleidžiamas pedagogų ir tėvų požiūris į ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimą, išryškinama sąveikos ir mokymosi paradigmų sampratų genezė ir išbandoma Edukologijos universiteto mokslininkų parengta pasiekimų aprašo vertinimo metodika, kiek ši leidžia fiksuoti socialinę – emocinę vaiko raidą. Baigiamojo darbo struktūra konstruojama mokslinės literatūros ir empirinio tyrimo analizės pagrindais, kurių tikslas - atskleisti šiuolaikinį ikimokyklinio ugdymo pedagogų požiūrį į pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimą. Tikslui pasiekti keliami uždaviniai: 1. Išanalizuoti mokslinę literatūrą ir švietimą reglamentuojančius dokumentus ir apibrėžti šiuolaikinę ikimokyklinio ugdymo(si) pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimo sampratą. 2. Atskleisti vertinimo ciklo ypatumus ir aptarti užsienio šalių vaikų ugdymo(si) pažangos ir pasiekimų patirtį. 3. Išsiaiškinti pedagogų ir tėvų požiūrį į ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimą ir atlikti lyginamąją analizę. 4. Išbandyti ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimo metodiką bei patikrinti kiek ši leidžia fiksuoti socialinę – emocinę vaiko raidą. Kiekybinio ir kokybinio tyrimo analizė atskleidė, kad pedagogams ir tėvams pažangos ir pasiekimų vertinimas yra labai reikalinga ir reikalinga ugdymosi proceso dalis, kuri padeda numatyti ugdymosi žingsnius, gerinti ugdymo kokybę, stebėti, pažinti, įvertinti kiekvieno vaiko individualią pažangą ir ugdymosi raidą, įžvelgti ugdymosi... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In this final thesis educators’ and parents’ attitude towards evaluation of pre-school aged children’s progress and achievements is revealed, genesis of interface and learning paradigm conceptions is emphasized and evaluation methodology of achievements description prepared by scientists of University of Educational Sciences is used as far as it lets record social-emotional development of a child. Structure of the final thesis is constructed on the basis of analysis of nonfiction and empirical research, which aim is to reveal modern pre-school educators’ attitude towards evaluation of progress and achievements. In order to reach the aim the following tasks have been raised: 1. To analyze regulatory documents of nonfiction and education, also determine a modern conception of pre-school education progress and achievements’ conception. 2. To reveal peculiarities of evaluation and discuss learning progress’ and achievements’ experience of children from foreign countries. 3. To find out educators’ and parents’ attitude towards evaluation of pre-school children’s progress and achievements and perform a comparative analysis. 4. To experiment with pre-school children’s progress and achievements evaluation methodology and examine how far it lets record social-emotional development of a child. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative research revealed that evaluation of progress and achievements is a very important part of education process for educators and parents which helps to... [to full text]

The purpose of the study was to investigate the construct validity of the Total Individual Progress Level I Pre-kindergarten Screen (TIP) for males and females. Exploratory factor analysis of the items was used to determine the underlying dimensions of TIP.The subjects were 799 students from a rural and suburban school district adjacent to a larger city in east-central Indiana who were screened prior to kindergarten entrance during the years 1977 to 1984. The sample was split to allow for cross-validation of the exploratory factor analysis results.The covariance structures of males and females were judged to be similar. Therefore, a principal components analysis using SPSS-X (Nie, 1983) was used to determine the optional number of factors to retain for males and females together in two separate samples. Judgements regarding the number of factors to retain was based on the scree plot and eigenvalue greater than one criteria (Reynolds & Paget, 1981). Both orthogonal and oblique rotations were explored for 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-factor solutions using principal factoring with iterations.The four-factor varimax solutions for Sample 1 and Sample 2 were found to provide the best solution of TIP. The same four constructs were found in both samples and were extracted in the same order, indicating reliability of this factor solution of TIP. The factors were named, in order, Language, Visual, Gross Motor, and Speech Mechanics.The results obtained in the two samples were compared in regard to Rummel's (1970) considerations. Similarities were found in number of retained factors, configuration of the variables, complexity of the solution, variance accounted for by the factors, and communalities. In addition, results of Tucker's congruence coefficient and Cattell's salient variable similarity index indicated factorial similarity for all four factors across both samples.The four derived factors did not completely resemble the four pre-established subscales of TIP.The Concepts subscale did not emerge as a separate construct and the Hearing and communication subscale was broken into two different factors. Fewer items comprised the four-factor varimax solution. Only two of the extracted factors, Gross Motor and Visual, resembled the pre-established subscales of Motor and Vision and Visual, respectively.

The focus of this study was to assess the ability to predict performance on the Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Progress (ISTEP) from oral reading fluency scores on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Oral Reading Fluency Test (ORF). The scores of both assessments from 306 Indiana students from four different elementary schools were examined. Results of these students’ end of year (EOY) ORF scores were compared to their ISTEP scores in third grade in 2008-2009. During that school year ISTEP was administered twice, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Results from both tests were analyzed using linear, multiple, and logistic regression models. The results showed r values between the ORF scores and the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP to be .76 (Fall) and .72 (Spring). The correlations between ORF and ISTEP Math were .54 (Fall) and .61 (Spring). Regression coefficients ranged from 1.30 – 1.13 indicating a positive linear relationship between the results of the two assessments. The scores from demographic subgroups were also examined and some differences in the strength of the relationships were found among the groups. The oral reading fluency test was a better predictor for students generally considered at-risk (non-white, disabled, and non-English speaking). Logistic regression results showed a moderate to strong ability to predict whether or not students would pass ISTEP based on DIBELS scores. After using Beta values to calculate probabilities, it was found a DIBELS ORF score of 100 would provide a strong probability a student would pass ISTEP, both in English/Language Arts and Math. The results imply the need to monitor students’ oral reading and provide timely interventions when they struggle, and to focus more on helping children learn to read and less on preparing for ISTEP. / Department of Educational Leadership

Department of Educational Leadership

This thesis analyses thirteen key literary texts taken from the last century of Canadian English-language publishing to assess how each text reveals, reinforces, and /or resists narratives of natural-aging, decline, progress and positive-aging. When considered together, these texts illustrate overall patterns in the evolution of age-related beliefs and behaviours. Stories have a potential emotional impact that scholarly readings do not, and thus the reading and study of these texts can serve to promote conscious intellectual consideration of the issues surrounding age and aging. My analysis focuses on how our Canadian literature envisages aging into old age, primarily addressing stories set in late-life-care facilities and comprising what I am naming our ‘nursing-home-narrative genre.’ Although my chapters follow a chronological progression, beginning with Catharine Parr Traill’s 1894 Pearls and Pebbles and concluding with Janet Hepburn’s 2013 Flee, Fly, Flown, I am not arguing that each age-related belief is replaced by a succeeding one. I would assert instead that over time Canadians have accumulated an assortment of age ideologies, some of which mesh and some of which duplicate or even contradict others. For example, although many people have embraced new positive-aging ideologies, aging-as-decline narratives still circulate strongly. Using social and literary theory as support, I argue that the selected literary texts of my analysis (Traill, Wilson, Laurence, Shields, Wright, Barfoot, Munro, Tostevin, Gruen, Hepburn, King) reveal a genre that is evolving quickly in both form and content. The nursing-home-narrative genre begins with gothic stories of fear of the nursing home, of aging and of death, expands to include darkly humorous stories featuring increasingly empowered residents successfully living within care homes, and is introducing, during the twenty-first century, fantastical stories of escape from the home and of return to youthful behaviours and preferable habitats. This most recent narrative joins the earlier ones to create a new master narrative in which aging people can overcome fear with agency and thus ultimately reject the nursing home and old age itself. However, in the most compelling of the new agency and escape narratives, authors lay a thin icing of entertainment over a dark undercurrent of reality.

This study examines the making of the European identity concept under the impact of the European Union (EU) project. In order to define the structure of the European identity, theoretical and historical aspects have been scrutinised. Besides, the Eurobarometers (EBs) have been used to analyse the condition of European identity perception among the people of the member countries. The results of the EBs data show that the popularisation of the European identity is limited and the elite character of this identity seems dominant. The EU still lacks its common political identity, which forms a political agenda, and a supranational political identity. This thesis has concluded that the popularisation of the European identity can ensure more political unity for the EU, and this unity can be realised only with a multiple identity perception including current strong identities of the Europe.

The purpose of this thesis is to research the relation between spatial structures and social relations including the cultural ones. This study specifically researches the relation between the construction and the representation of urban space and urban culture in Sakarya Caddesi as an instance of society-space interaction. This research focuses on Sakarya Caddesi where various urban cultural practices such as entertainment, has intensified. It deals with the constitution and representation of this entertainment space and researches how a particular place is constructed materially and imaginarily, how different social actors perceive, interpret and constitute a particular place in different ways. Accordingly, the contestation over the representation and use of place is discussed in this study. In order to comprehend a local place and culture, the issues should be thought in a wider context. Therefore, Sakarya Caddesi which is a part of urban space and the urban practices which occur in this area, are evaluated in global context. This study, discusses the influences of global changes on urban space, urban cultural practices and lifestyles. Discussing Sakarya Caddesi and its culture through discourses, this thesis relates spatial categories with some concepts of cultural politics such as identity.