The ongoing debate about the capacity of distance learning (DL) to assist in the development of teaching skills and to improve teaching practice is the focus of many inquiries in the field of teacher education. The practice-based nature of Foundation Phase teaching poses unique challenges for professional development of teachers through DL programmes. In order to address inadequacies identified in the literature and previous research, a practical component was designed and included in the revised version of the Advanced Certificate: Education - Foundation Phase, as part of a bursary project. In 2011 the Northern Cape Department of Education (NCDoE) enrolled 50 practising Foundation Phase teachers for this distance learning programme as the first of three cohorts in the bursary project. A learning portfolio and audio-visual resources, designed according to principles derived from previous research and related literature, formed part of this practical component. The aim was to support teacher applied competence through developing pedagogical content knowledge, self-directedness, and a professional attitude, and through guiding the application of new knowledge and skills in practice. The completed portfolios further served as an instrument for the assessment of teacher performance with regard to applied competence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the practical component of the revised Foundation Phase ACE programme delivered by the NWU via distance learning with specific focus on the way this component facilitates the development of applied competence and the way the portfolio provides for the assessment of professional classroom competencies of practising Foundation Phase teachers. The study further aimed to put forward a model for the development of applied practice based on the findings of the study. In order to attain the aims of the study, the literature was explored to firstly determine the elements which contribute to applied competence in effective teacher professional development programmes. The literature was further explored to determine what the body of scholarship indicates with respect to programme design features that support applied competence in DL programmes for teacher professional development. An implementation evaluation study was then conducted on the programme by collecting data from 50 Foundation Phase teachers as the first of three cohorts enrolled for the bursary project. Data were primarily collected through multiple qualitative methods including a focus-group interview, individual interviews, written expectations as well as open ended questions of questionnaires. Descriptive data were also collected through semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were analysed through content analysis to determine the theoretical and conceptual implications of the profile and teaching context of the Northern Cape Foundation Phase teacher enrolled for the DL Foundation Phase ACE programme, the expectations of these teachers regarding the way the practical component would support their applied competence in their contexts, and the teachers’ experiences of the way the programme component supported the development of their applied competence. The study further determined the extent to which the learning portfolios interrogate the elements of applied competence. Quantitative data collected through semi-structured questionnaires were statistically analysed and served to support the interpretation of qualitative data. The investigation was approached from a constructivist paradigm; an approach that falls under an interpretivist philosophical orientation. Although quantitative methods were used to gather descriptive statistical data in support of the qualitative data, the study is grounded in qualitative research methodology where the concern is with the formative evaluation of the DL programme component The findings strongly confirm the value of such a practical component as part of a DL programme to support the elements of applied competence. However, the way the programme accommodates teacher profiles and teaching contexts will greatly influence the sustainability of the programme outcomes in practice. The findings further show that the portfolio as instrument for the assessment of applied competence requires careful planning and should provide strong guidance in the reflective process to support sustained outcomes of the programme in practice. A suggested model for a DL programme for the professional development of Foundation Phase teachers is based on the findings of the study. / PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The ongoing debate about the capacity of distance learning (DL) to assist in the development of teaching skills and to improve teaching practice is the focus of many inquiries in the field of teacher education. The practice-based nature of Foundation Phase teaching poses unique challenges for professional development of teachers through DL programmes. In order to address inadequacies identified in the literature and previous research, a practical component was designed and included in the revised version of the Advanced Certificate: Education - Foundation Phase, as part of a bursary project. In 2011 the Northern Cape Department of Education (NCDoE) enrolled 50 practising Foundation Phase teachers for this distance learning programme as the first of three cohorts in the bursary project. A learning portfolio and audio-visual resources, designed according to principles derived from previous research and related literature, formed part of this practical component. The aim was to support teacher applied competence through developing pedagogical content knowledge, self-directedness, and a professional attitude, and through guiding the application of new knowledge and skills in practice. The completed portfolios further served as an instrument for the assessment of teacher performance with regard to applied competence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the practical component of the revised Foundation Phase ACE programme delivered by the NWU via distance learning with specific focus on the way this component facilitates the development of applied competence and the way the portfolio provides for the assessment of professional classroom competencies of practising Foundation Phase teachers. The study further aimed to put forward a model for the development of applied practice based on the findings of the study. In order to attain the aims of the study, the literature was explored to firstly determine the elements which contribute to applied competence in effective teacher professional development programmes. The literature was further explored to determine what the body of scholarship indicates with respect to programme design features that support applied competence in DL programmes for teacher professional development. An implementation evaluation study was then conducted on the programme by collecting data from 50 Foundation Phase teachers as the first of three cohorts enrolled for the bursary project. Data were primarily collected through multiple qualitative methods including a focus-group interview, individual interviews, written expectations as well as open ended questions of questionnaires. Descriptive data were also collected through semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were analysed through content analysis to determine the theoretical and conceptual implications of the profile and teaching context of the Northern Cape Foundation Phase teacher enrolled for the DL Foundation Phase ACE programme, the expectations of these teachers regarding the way the practical component would support their applied competence in their contexts, and the teachers’ experiences of the way the programme component supported the development of their applied competence. The study further determined the extent to which the learning portfolios interrogate the elements of applied competence. Quantitative data collected through semi-structured questionnaires were statistically analysed and served to support the interpretation of qualitative data. The investigation was approached from a constructivist paradigm; an approach that falls under an interpretivist philosophical orientation. Although quantitative methods were used to gather descriptive statistical data in support of the qualitative data, the study is grounded in qualitative research methodology where the concern is with the formative evaluation of the DL programme component The findings strongly confirm the value of such a practical component as part of a DL programme to support the elements of applied competence. However, the way the programme accommodates teacher profiles and teaching contexts will greatly influence the sustainability of the programme outcomes in practice. The findings further show that the portfolio as instrument for the assessment of applied competence requires careful planning and should provide strong guidance in the reflective process to support sustained outcomes of the programme in practice. A suggested model for a DL programme for the professional development of Foundation Phase teachers is based on the findings of the study. / PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Economics as a subject is one of the sciences that is required for any nation's development, but its teaching and learning has not being easy, which has resulted in poor student achievement. In search of solutions, this study has considered the reflective-reciprocal teaching technique and investigates its effectiveness on student teachers' academic achievement and attitude in the subject. Four Null hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The study adopted the quantitative method of inquiry, using specifically a pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental design. Three Colleges of Education out of 22 federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria were purposively selected based on certain criteria to be the sites for the study. The sample for the study consisted of 178 second year Economics student teachers; the participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The pre-test scores of the participants was obtained using achievement test, numerical ability test questionnaire. Participants in the experimental group were exposed to six weeks of teaching using the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategy while participants in the control group were exposed to the traditional method of teaching. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of proportions, frequencies, means and standard deviations, independent t- tests and paired t-tests to compare differences between two groups, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and ANOVA for repeated measures. The Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) aspect of ANCOVA was used to determine the magnitude of the performance of the groups. The findings of the study show that there exists a significant difference in the achievement of student-teachers in Economics when taught using reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies compared to the conventional method. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that Economics student teachers should make effective use of reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies in the classroom in order to further enhance the achievement of their students in the subject. In addition, the Federal and States Ministries of Education should encourage the use of the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies by organizing workshops for educational trainers and teachers to better equip them in the use of the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategy. The use of reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies should be encouraged in other teaching subjects as well. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of Philosophy Macquarie University, Australian Centre for Educational Studies, Institute of Early Childhood. 2007. / Thesis (MPhil)--Macquarie University (Australian Centre for Educational Studies, Institute of Early Childhood), 2007. / Bibliography: p. 199-227. / Introduction -- The context of the study -- Literature review -- Methodology -- Teachers' interpretations: the impact of Reggio Emilian pedagogy -- Themes of influence: Reggio Emilian pedagogy and teachers' philosophies and practice -- Relevance to the local context -- Conclusion. / Reggio Emilian pedagogy is an acknowledged and burgeoning world-wide influence in early childhood education, yet it claims not to be a model for emulation. Where practising teachers engage with Reggio Emilian pedagogy in their classrooms, such 'influence without emulation' creates a paradox in the process. This qualitative study aims to investigate the process and theorize the paradox. Following the tradition of interpretive research into teacher reflection, research, inquiry and professional development, eight Australian teachers, working across a range of early childhood contexts, were interviewed for their interpretations of the impact, influence and local relevance of this foreign pedagogy. Analysis revealed strong responses, common themes of influence and a shared perspective on the issue of translocation - engagement in an alternative process to mere replication. / Mode of access: World wide Web. / iii, 283 p

Economics as a subject is one of the sciences that is required for any nation's development, but its teaching and learning has not being easy, which has resulted in poor student achievement. In search of solutions, this study has considered the reflective-reciprocal teaching technique and investigates its effectiveness on student teachers' academic achievement and attitude in the subject. Four Null hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The study adopted the quantitative method of inquiry, using specifically a pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental design. Three Colleges of Education out of 22 federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria were purposively selected based on certain criteria to be the sites for the study. The sample for the study consisted of 178 second year Economics student teachers; the participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The pre-test scores of the participants was obtained using achievement test, numerical ability test questionnaire. Participants in the experimental group were exposed to six weeks of teaching using the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategy while participants in the control group were exposed to the traditional method of teaching. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of proportions, frequencies, means and standard deviations, independent t- tests and paired t-tests to compare differences between two groups, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and ANOVA for repeated measures. The Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) aspect of ANCOVA was used to determine the magnitude of the performance of the groups. The findings of the study show that there exists a significant difference in the achievement of student-teachers in Economics when taught using reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies compared to the conventional method. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that Economics student teachers should make effective use of reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies in the classroom in order to further enhance the achievement of their students in the subject. In addition, the Federal and States Ministries of Education should encourage the use of the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies by organizing workshops for educational trainers and teachers to better equip them in the use of the reflective-reciprocal teaching strategy. The use of reflective-reciprocal teaching strategies should be encouraged in other teaching subjects as well. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

This thesis is a reflective exploration of the use and impact of using drama pedagogies in the English as a Second Language (ESL)/ English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It stems from the problem of secondary school English language learning in Malaysia, where current teaching practices appear to have led to the decline of the standard of English as a second language in school leavers and university graduates (Abdul Rahman, 1997; Carol Ong Teck Lan, Anne Leong Chooi Khaun, & Singh, 2011; Hazita et al., 2010; Nalliah & Thiyagarajah, 1999). This problem resonates with my own experiences at school, as a secondary school student, an ESL teacher and, later, as a teacher trainer. Consequently, these experiences led me to explore alternative or supplementary teaching methodologies that could enhance the ESL learning experience, drawing initially from drama techniques such as those advocated by Maley and Duff (1983), Wessels (1987), and Di Pietro (1983), and later from process drama pedagogies such as those advocated by Greenwood (2005); Heathcote and Bolton (1995); Kao and O'Neill (1998), and Miller and Saxton (2004). This thesis is an account of my own exploration in adapting drama pedagogies to ESL/EFL teaching. It examines ways in which drama pedagogies might increase motivation and competency in English language learning. The main methodology of the study is that of reflective practice (e.g. Griffiths & Tann, 1992; Zeichner & Liston, 1996). It tracks a learning journey, where I critically reflect on my learning, exploring and implementing such pedagogical approaches as well as evaluate their impact on my students’ learning. These critical reflections arise from three case studies, based on three different contexts: the first a New Zealand English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class in an intermediate school, the second a Malaysian ESL class in a rural secondary school, and the third an English proficiency class of adult learners in a language school. Data for the study were obtained through the following: research journal and reflective memo; observation and field notes; interview; social media; students’ class work; discussion with co-researchers; and through the literature of the field. A major teaching methodology that emerges from the reflective cycles is that of staging the textbook, where the textbook section to be used for the teaching programme is distilled, and the key focuses of the language, skills, vocabulary, and themes to be learnt are identified and extracted. A layer of drama is matched with these distilled elements and then ‘staged’ on top of the textbook unit, incorporating context-setting opportunities, potential for a story, potential for tension or complication, and the target language elements. The findings that emerge through critical reflection in the study relate to the drama methodologies that I learn and acquire, the impact of these methodologies on students, the role of culture in the application of drama methodologies, and language learning and acquisition. These findings have a number of implications. Firstly, they show how an English Language Teaching (ELT) practitioner might use drama methodologies and what their impact is on student learning. While the focus is primarily on the Malaysian context, aspects of the findings may resonate internationally. Secondly, they suggest a model of reflective practice that can be used by other ELT practitioners who are interested in using drama methodologies in their teaching. Thirdly, these findings also point towards the development of a more comprehensive syllabus for using drama pedagogies, as well as the development of reflective practice, in the teacher training programmes in Malaysia. The use of drama pedagogies for language learning is a field that has not been researched in a Malaysian context. Therefore, this account of reflective practice offers a platform for further research and reflection in this context.