The promotion of education has long been a priority of the successive regimes of Ethiopia. Combined with the momentum of Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in recent years Ethiopia’s education sector has experienced a major expansion of primary school enrolment which has earned Ethiopia international acclaim and so much optimism in meeting the MDGs set for 2015. Despite this, however, large numbers of primary school aged children remain out of school, most of these are found in rural areas and many of them are girls. Many of the children that enrol do not stay on to complete the full cycle of their primary schooling. While there are numerous studies looking at rural children’s schooling, village-based ethnographic studies are rare, particularly in Ethiopia. The thesis offers a sociological insight as to why low enrolment and incompletion persist in rural areas. Drawing on an ethnographic approach study over extended period this thesis presents analysis of data from two local communities. Methodologically the analysis are anchored on the voices of the children, their parents and teachers and make a valuable contribution in emphasising not only the importance of bringing local people’s own voices into the debate, but also drawing attention to the ways voice may be utilised and calling for greater sensitivity to the way it is interpreted in scholarly and policy circles. Theoretically, the study shows the value of applying Bourdieu’s approach to social reproduction in analysing the challenges faced by rural children in completing primary school. Time spent with children, their families and their teachers suggests reproduction of educational inequality at all levels (home, school, community). While these are certainly important, this thesis argues that more attention needs to be paid to the social context in which children and their schooling are embedded. It suggests the challenges in schooling rural children are not simply explained either by the quantity of primary schools available, or a lack of value being accorded to education, or deliberate acts of discrimination (e.g. against girls). Rather, it has argued that discriminatory outcomes, or the reproduction of social inequality, have to be understood as the outcome of social practice, where ‘choices’ are made in circumstances of considerable constraint. Furthermore, it has shown that these patterns of social reproduction are as characteristic of teachers and the field of the school as they are of parents and children and the field of home and community. Rather than the school operating as an external change agent, as imagined in much of the education literature, the school is very much part of the local social context. The application of policies and the social practice of staff are significantly marked by their positionality within the communities which they serve.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:56:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Thais Peluzo Abreu Faleiros Soares.pdf: 1199406 bytes, checksum: 62d6c7e52e666539dc544addc8619360 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-19 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This study aims to develop an understanding of the subjective dimensions of teaching in a full-time school, taking into account the subjective aspects created by those directly involved in this context. It is through their words that we analyze the elements that comprise the meanings (senses) of full-time school models. The theoretical and methodological framework used to support these arguments is socio-historical psychology, which is the constitution of the human phenomena in a social-historical process. To this end, making is active social and historically. The research has two participating subjects, via semi-structured interviews, a teacher and a pedagogical director in a full-time elementary public school, from the city of Palmas, state of Tocantins. The analysis of the interview led to the construction of core elements, manifesting the meaning created by the interviewed parties / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver uma compreensão da dimensão subjetiva da atuação docente na escola de tempo integral, conhecendo os aspectos subjetivos constituídos por sujeitos que atuam diretamente nesse contexto. Para tanto, buscamos na fala dos sujeitos os elementos que compõe as significações (sentidos) a respeito da escola de tempo integral. O referencial teórico e metodológico utilizado como sustentação da argumentação é a psicologia sócio-histórica, que tem como concepção a constituição dos fenômenos humanos no processo social e histórico. Neste sentido, o homem é ativo, social e histórico. A pesquisa tem dois sujeitos participantes por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, sendo uma professora e uma diretora pedagógica de escola de tempo integral do ensino fundamental I da rede pública, localizada na cidade de Palmas-TO. A análise das entrevistas permitiu a construção de núcleos de significação, evidenciando os sentidos constituídos pelos sujeitos entrevistados

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:32:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Elizabete da Costa.pdf: 674525 bytes, checksum: 61ad4836a354be536d0253ef5fe019f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-04-06 / Secretaria da Educação do Estado de São Paulo / The purpose of this study was to investigate the schooling process of students with disabilities enrolled in regular 5th grade classes of the state-funded public school system of São Paulo, in opposite areas of the city, not focusing on the individual and his assumed gifts, but rather in a perspective that understands him as a product of the social, economical and cultural conditions in which he is inserted. One of the aims was to outline the social, cultural and economical profiles of these students, and relate aspects of their school lives (in the continued progression system) to their original social and cultural conditions, and to reflect about the relationship between public policies of inclusion (and the actual conditions offered by the school) and failures in academic performance. This study is justified by the fact that discussions about inclusion in schools is widely present nowadays, and it is therefore necessary to verify in what conditions it has been taking place. The theory upon which this research was based was defined from certain aspects of the thoughts of Bourdieu, where there is a premise stating that original social conditions and the cultural capital that is transmitted significantly influence the academic process of any student, and, also, from certain contributions by Bueno and Patto, who study issues pertaining to Special Education and academic failure, respectively. The data on the schooling processes was collected from official documents (Student Records); the information on socialcultural conditions were registered in a questionnaire directed to family members; and school characteristics were taken down by the researcher, in a specific form developed for this purpose. The conclusions were that the main highlight in the schooling process of students with disabilities was the disability itself. However, in opposition to a naturalized and biological interpretation which points to the limitations imposed by disabilities, the aspects which mainly stood out were the actual school and its dissatisfactory conditions / Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar o percurso escolar de alunos com deficiência matriculados na 5ª série, em classe comum da rede estadual de ensino de São Paulo, em regiões opostas da capital, não com o foco no indivíduo e seus supostos dons, mas numa perspectiva de que esse indivíduo é produto das condições sociais, econômicas e culturais nas quais se insere. Pretendeu-se traçar o perfil social, cultural e econômico desses alunos e relacionar aspectos de sua vida escolar (no sistema de Progressão Continuada) com suas condições sociais e culturais de origem, refletindo, ainda, sobre a relação entre a política pública de inclusão (e as condições oferecidas pela escola) e o fracasso escolar. Justifica-se este estudo pelo fato de que a discussão sobre a inclusão escolar apresenta-se fortemente presente nos dias atuais, sendo necessário verificar em que condições ela está ocorrendo. A fundamentação teórica foi definida a partir de alguns aspectos do pensamento de Bourdieu, pois há a premissa de que as condições sociais de origem e o capital cultural transmitido influenciam significativamente a trajetória escolar de qualquer aluno e, também, tomando algumas das contribuições de Bueno e Patto, estudiosos das questões da Educação Especial e do fracasso escolar, respectivamente. Os dados sobre a trajetória escolar foram coletados em documentos oficiais (Cadastro de Alunos); sobre as condições sociais, econômicas e culturais as informações foram registradas em questionário direcionado aos familiares; sobre a caracterização da escola, o registro foi feito em ficha de coleta de dados elaborada pela pesquisadora. Concluiu-se que a marca principal na trajetória escolar dos alunos com deficiência seja a própria deficiência, mas, diferentemente da interpretação naturalizada e biológica que aponta para os limites das deficiências, se destacou a escola e suas condições ainda insatisfatórias

Denna studie bygger på en fältstudie i två klasser på gymnasieskolans Byggprogram. Intresset är riktat mot hur ett antal ungdomar, vilka samtliga är pojkar och i varierande grad är ointresserade av så kallade teoretiska studier, förhåller sig till kärnämnena. Mer precist är syftet att analysera deras förhållningssätt till kärnämnena som en del av deras identitetsskapande i relation till dessa ämnen. I studien ses skolan och klassrummet som en social arena där mycket annat än formell undervisning pågår och är relevant för ungdomar när de befinner sig i skolan. Den teoretiska förankringen för studien består i ett interaktionistiskt perspektiv på identitet, bland annat influerat av Richard Jenkins. Därutöver utgörs den av ett genus- och klassperspektiv, samt motståndsteoretiska utgångspunkter. Metodologiskt ansluter sig studien till den etnografiska traditionen. Data som analyseras är observationsdata, intervjudata och inspelade samtal mellan eleverna. Analysen visar bland annat att ungdomarna använder sitt kommande yrke och sitt ointresse för skolarbete i teoretisk tappning som utgångspunkter när de pratar om sin utbildning, olika ämnen eller sitt agerande i relation till skolarbetet. Analysen visar också att ungdomarna både är konforma och oppositionella gentemot kärnämnena. De anpassar sig efter skolans makt att bedöma deras studieinsatser, men gör bl.a. motstånd mot den ordning lärare söker åstadkomma och den tristess och påfrestning som de menar att kärnämnena medför. Till sina konsekvenser innebär denna form av motkultur ett identitetsskapande som avviker från ideal som låg bakom införandet av kärnämnena, vilket innebär ett motstånd mot en statlig påverkan på deras liv, så som denna påverkan kommer till uttryck genom utbildningssystemet. Mot bakgrund av deras kombination av motstånd och konformitet tolkas deras förhållningssätt till kärnämnena emellertid som motsträvighet än som ett renodlat motstånd. / This study is based on a field study that was conducted in two classes in a vocational programme (the Construction Programme) at a Swedish upper secondary school. The main concern of the study is how the pupils, all of whom are boys who are indifferent to varying degrees to so-called theoretical studies, relate to the academic subjects (or core subjects) of their education. More precisely, the aim is to analyze their attitudes towards the core subjects as part of their identity work. In this respect, the school setting is viewed as a social arena in which much more than formal education is going on and has relevance for the pupils when they are in school. The theoretical framing of the study is based on an interactional perspective on identity, primarily influenced by Richard Jenkins. Additionally, a gender and class perspective as well as theories of resistance are used to understand the views and actions of the boys. Methodologically, the study draws on an ethnographic tradition. The data consist of observations, interviews and recorded conversations between the pupils. The analysis points out that the pupils use their future work as construction workers and their indifference to theoretical schoolwork as important starting points when they talk about their education, different subjects or their own actions in relation to their schoolwork. The analysis also stresses that the boys employ modes of both conformity and opposition in relation to the academic subjects. They adjust to the power the school has when it comes to assessing their schoolwork, but they also resist the classroom order their teacher is trying to achieve and the stress and strain of everyday life in the academic subjects. This forms a counter culture, the consequences of which imply identity work that to a large extent differs from the ideas that conditioned the implementation of the core subjects. In this respect the pupils are also resisting governmental steering of their lives as it is expressed in the educational system. However, since the boys have modes of both conformity and opposition in their attitudes towards academic subjects, their overall attitude towards this part of their education is interpreted as a form of reluctance rather than full-scale resistance.

The study explores children in middle childhood’s experiences of homeschooling. The researcher makes use of a qualitative research design in the form of a case study, studying the participants’ experiences of homeschooling in their natural setting. The sample consisted of children in middle childhood who participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their individual experiences pertaining to learning at home, their familial relationships and their social learning in the homeschooling environment. Developmental aspects relating specifically to middle childhood are discussed and utilised along with the views of the participants in this study, those of experts, and literature reviews in order to gain a genuine understanding of the child’s experience of homeschooling. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

<p>This essay is a study about school success for immigrant pupils whose ages are between 16 and 19 years when they arrive to Sweden.</p><p>The purpose of this study is to examine pupils difficulties in the school and the faktors which affect their success in the school and even possibilities which they can be offered by the school.</p><p>This research carried out at two upper secondary schools in the municipality of “Södertälje”. The method which I have used is a qualitative research method which depends on interviews.</p><p>The results of the research shows pupils difficulties and the different faktors which influence their success in the school.</p><p>My conclusions are that these pupils have many difficulties and to reach a successful schooling, the shcool have to give these pupils a variety of possibilities which builds with pupils self possibilities a foundation for a good and successful schooling.</p><p>The research also shows that the both schools are not giving enough possibilities to these pupils. The education system in these schools doesn’t fits for multi – lingual pupils. The pupils in these schools are trying to adapt themselves to the education system.</p>

One of the core and primary functions of the school is to transmit knowledge from one generation to the next. The theory and practice of schooling (teaching and learning) should be founded on a sound concept of knowledge. A change in epistemology entails a change in approach to schooling. This study investigates how the postmodern idea of knowledge may affect schooling both in theory and practice. The author traces how the concept of knowledge has changed from modern to the postmodern era, in order to find the general features of the recent view of knowledge. The postmodern idea of knowledge is characterised by doubt about objective knowledge, the shift from universal reason to plural reason, criticism of foundationalism and awareness of the peculiar role of language. This study focuses on Richard Rorty's theory to analyse the postmodern idea of knowledge and its educational implication. In order to figure out the problems of postmodern epistemology, the author criticises Rorty's idea of knowledge immanently and transcendentally. Not only self-contradictions but also hidden foundations (or beliefs) in Rorty's idea of knowledge are revealed. This study comes to conclude that although the postmodern idea of knowledge reveals the shortcomings of the modern idea of knowledge, it also has many flaws in achieving a sound concept of knowledge. This study indicates an alternative view of knowledge from a Reformational perspective in order to overcome the shortcomings of postmodern epistemology. The author suggests a new possibility of objective knowledge based on the notion of creational law, and also various kinds of legitimate knowledge based on the multi-dimensional modality of reality. As a final point, this study suggests the notion of stewardship in education. Schooling should open up the multidimensional reality for students to become responsible stewards who care for the world and their fellow human beings. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This study investigated home schooling as alternative form of educational provision in South Africa by focussing on the following aspects: • the nature of home schooling as alternative form of educational provision; • home schooling as alternative form of educational provision in the USA; and • the position of home schooling as alternative form of educational provision in South Africa. The nature of home schooling as alternative form of educational provision has been researched by means of a literature study. Home schooling within a system of educational provision has been investigated and it has been found that home schooling cannot be categorised within existing terms because it includes aspects of both formal and non-formal education and excludes aspects of both. Home schooling has moved from an initially traditional form of education to an alternative form of education, enjoying growing support at an international level. As an alternative form of educational provision in the USA home schooling has a sound legal foundation and has become an acceptable educational alternative. Home schoolers in the USA are very diverse with regard to various aspects, including reasons for home schooling. In regard of the structure of home schooling there are two extremes, namely the orthodox structuralists and the proponents of unstructured learning, with the largest group of home schoolers somewhere between these extremes. Available research indicates clearly that academically home schoolers perform very well and home schooling does not in any way disadvantage them with regard tosocial-emotional development or socialisation. Policy makers in the USA seem to be increasingly of the opinion that there should be some form of cooperation between public schools and home schoolers. The literature study on the origin and development of home schooling as alternative form of educational provision in South Africa revealed that, although the Constitution does not contain a stipulation granting parents an explicit right to home schooling, it does not make homeschooling unconstitutional. New regulations regarding home schooling have been announced by the government in November 1999 and are already operative. The empirical research revealed that home schooling in South Africa has grown phenomenally over the past two years. In South Africa home schoolers are also diverse regarding various aspects, but generally spend much time on formal lessons and mostly use previously prepared curricula. It seems as if educational reasons are the most important and religious beliefs the second most important reason for home schooling in South Africa. Some of the most important recommendations of this study are firstly that a partnership should be established between government and home schoolers. The government should take notice of research on home schooling and the opportunities that home schooling presents. Home schooling as alternative form of educational provision can be supplementary to the existing system of educational provision. Finally, education policy makers should also reconsider legislation regarding compulsory education rather than compulsory schooling. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

The purpose of the study is to investigate former students’ view of their experiences of schools for students with intellectual disability. Both students of this study have a mild form of intellectual disability. The question of this study is to find out more of their experiences from their whole schooling.   The theoretical frame of the study is based on a life narrative perspective. The focus in this perspective was the social interaction and the students’ experiences of schooling. The method was a life narrative perspective were former students with intellectual disability talked about their life story in special schools.   The result of the study showed that students who were included in the ordinary school, and have the opportunity to remain in the ordinary class, got a better view of the school. If the students instead were forced to attend lessons in special school, against their own wish, they become disappointed, sad and frustrated. To separate students from their regular class could have devastating consequences, especially for the person who was excluded from their friends. The result also showed that the person who was excluded from the ordinary school felt ashamed and would not be connected with a group that was specially treated   As a teacher for students with special need we have to be aware of what the pupils need instead of what the school offer. We should not forget that all our decisions will have an impact of the students’ former life. / Målet med studien är att undersöka före detta elevers syn på deras erfarenheter i skolan för elever med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Studiens båda elever har en lindrigare funktionsnedsättning. Studiens frågeställning är att få reda på mera om deras erfarenheter genom hela deras skoltid.   Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkt utgår från ett livsberättande perspektiv. I fokus på detta perspektiv var det sociala samspelet och elevernas egna erfarenheter om skolgången. Metoden som användes var livsberättelseperspektivet där före detta elever med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning berättade sin livsberättelse om grundsärskolan.   Studiens resultat visade att elever som var inkluderade i den vanliga skolan, och hade möjlighet att stanna kvar i den vanliga klassen, fick en bättre uppfattning av skolan. Om eleverna istället blev tvingade att delta på lektioner i en speciell skola, mot deras egen önskan, blev de blev besvikna, ledsna och frustrerade. Att dela upp elever från den vanliga klassen kunde få förödande konsekvenser, speciellt för personen som blev exkluderad från sina vänner. Resultatet visade också att personen som blev exkluderade från den vanliga skolan kände skam och ville inte tillhöra en grupp som blev särbehandlad.   Som en lärare för elever med särskilda behov måste vi vara uppmärksamma på vad eleverna behöver istället för vad skolan erbjuder. Vi får inte glömma bort att alla våra beslut kommer att ha en påverkan på elevernas kommande liv.

In 2011, 65% of the 76,900 pupils aged between 5 and 16 in special schools in England were of secondary age. When this population is broken down further, a constant rise in pupil numbers is seen; from just under 3,500 pupils at age 5, to more than 10,000 at age 15, with a large leap in numbers between the ages 10 and 11. This thesis views these patterns as demonstrations of disproportionality and as indications that inclusion in mainstream secondary schools is not being achieved. The thesis fills a gap in the literature exemplified by the paucity of studies on this phenomenon. It is distinctive in not only exploring a problem and then suggesting ways of overcoming it, it also tests these suggestions. The thesis is in two parts, the first is a standard empirical enquiry, using a survey methodology, the second uses futures studies methodologies and evaluation techniques to create and develop a vignette of a future school that successfully includes those children currently placed in special schools. A critical realist perspective is adopted, acknowledging that explanations are contingent and influenced by personal experience and bias (at the level of researcher and participants). Hence a range of stakeholder views are sought, along with the involvement of groups of practitioners and experts in the refinement of a vignette of a future school. The thesis employs a mixed methods approach, in order to base findings on as many sources as possible. It also involves a futures thinking aspect, in the design of a preferable, transforming, normative image of a future education system. In part one explanations about why the phenomenon of over-representation occur are sought through a literature review, then a questionnaire of key stakeholders (those involved in school placement decisions). Factors that are commented on most frequently are school level factors and within child factors. These findings point to limitations of current models used to understand disability and special educational needs, the thesis posits that an extended multi-dimensional model is needed, and suggests a number of existing models that could be developed. In part two a vignette of a future school is created by considering how problems and issues raised in part one of the study could be circumvented. This vignette is evaluated by experts who have experiential and theoretical knowledge of the field of special educational needs and inclusion. The evaluation contributes to the further refinement of the vignette. This thesis highlights the unexplored phenomenon of secondary over-representation in special schools in England and presents an in-depth analysis of the reasons that stakeholders give to explain this over-representation. Uniquely, this analysis is then translated into an imaginary design of a possible future inclusive school, the evaluation of which in turn highlights some of the persistent issues about the purposes and design of schools in a diverse society.