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No description available.

Using a case-study methodology, this thesis enquires into the development of value-added from policy to classroom practice in a comprehensive school in the North of England. The study is unique in that it examines the work of teachers in relation to policy with a special focus on the extent to which value-added measures can be used to inform an understanding of what is going on at classroom level. It not only links quantitative and qualitative research paradigms, but does so at a level that has received relatively little attention and at a dramatic juncture in the history of teachers' professional lives. A literature survey shows that although originally conceived as a research tool, value-added was subsequently 'adopted' by secondary schools principally in response to government-imposed 'league tables'. A national value-added scheme has yet to be developed but, in a shift of policy, the government now promotes the use of value-added measures in the new Threshold Assessments of teachers. Value-added data for core subjects for seven years have been analysed at class level. Pupils in 'top' sets on average obtain positive residuals whilst in 'bottom' sets they are mostly negative. It is shown that this is partly a statistical artefact and therefore not a true reflection of teacher effectiveness. However, when teachers are interviewed they frequently reveal positive attitudes towards upper sets and the opposite with the lower ones. When value-added scores are considered alongside teacher interview data there are cases where residuals might be indicative of teacher performance but there are no universal patterns. Although there are some indications that pedagogical practice and teachers' backgrounds are linked with the performance of classes, it is concluded that the use of value-added data in the Threshold Assessment of teachers is flawed. Suggestions are made for further research including the use of value-added measures at classroom level.

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No description available.

M.Ed. / Ondersoek na die behoefte aan Godsdiensonderrig in swart sekondere skole in die Vaaldriehoek, vorm die tema van hierdie verhandeling. Godsdiensonderrig is een van die verpligte vakke wat in skole onder die toesig van die vorige Departement van Onderwys en Opleiding onderrig word. Godsdiensonderrig is 'n verpligte vak vanaf graad 1 tot standerd 10. Die fokus van hierdie studie lig die aktualiteit van die probleem uit. Vorige wetgewing in Suid-Afrika het nie net die vak verpligtend gemaak nie, maar ook net aandag gegee aan die Christelike godsdiens in staatskole. Na die verkiesing in 1994, het daar 'n nuwe interim regering aan bewind gekom. Dit bring die verandering mee dat die klem nie langer alleen op die Christelike godsdiens val nie, maar dat alle godsdienste nou gelykelik in staatskole hanteer moet word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of: Daar enigsins 'n behoefte by studente bestaan om Godsdiensonderrig in sekondere skole te neem. Indien daar 'n behoefte bestaan, watter godsdiens Daar ook kennis verlang word van die ander godsdienste en gelowe wat in ons land voorkom. Uit die literatuurstudie blyk dit dat soortgelyke probleme ook in ander lande met 'n verskeidenheid godsdienste en gelowe voorgekom het. Daarom word daar verwys na die hantering van Godsdiensonderrig in Amerika en Engeland. Ook lande in Afrika waar daar telkens, na 'n verandering in regering, 'n herondersoek na die vak gedoen is. Die sluit lande in soos Nigerie, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambie en Namibie. In Suid-Afrika is die klem geld op die verlede, hede en toekoms van Godsdiensonderrig. Die navorsingsmetode behels vraelyste aan studente en onderhoude met belanghebbende persone in die onderwys. Al die data wat in die ondersoek verkry is, is geanaliseer en die resultate rekenaarmatig verwerk. Na 'n deeglike bestudering van die resultate, is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat respondente voel dat: Godsdiensonderrig 'n regmatige plek in die kurrikulum behoort te he. Die oorwegende godsdiens die Christelike godsdiens is. Daar beslis 'n behoefte bestaan om meer te wete te kom van die ander godsdienste en gelowe in ons land.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / It was the purpose of this study (l) to explore certain educational theories evolved from concepts of the interrelations of the arts and utilize them as bases for the development of positive attitudes, understandings, and interests in music for students at the secondary shcool level; (2) to evolve a sound educational approach to the academically oriented content reflected in the musical expressions of the 17th and 18th centuried; (3) to utilize the audio and visual aspects of the art expressions of these centuries as audio-visual experiences illuminating the socio-economic, political, cultural, and philosophical shaping forces of these eras; (4) to make perceptible the manner in which the 11 shaping forces 11 helped to determine the musical content, style, elements and expression of each period; and (5) to use this knowledge as a basis for the intensive study of outstanding musical expressions in Baroque, Rococo, Expressive, Storm and Stress, and Classical styles. Method of procedure. The documentation for the conceptual approach of this study led to the investigation of sources from various disciplines. Ontological and empirical evidence was presented to define and reveal the educational and cultural values inherent in the audio-visual approach of this study. Discussion followed of the findings, which appeared to sustain the necessary, dynamic, and positive educational values inherent in this approach to music listening [TRUNCATED]

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No description available.

Connectedness is a complex idea that seems to mean different things for each individual. For the purposes of this dissertation, connectedness can best be understood as the ways that an individual feels an affiliation with the community of the institution that he/she experiences. This dissertation seeks to uncover the discourses that various stakeholder groups have within the site of a single school concerning connectedness. One of the precepts that this dissertation holds is that connectedness to school has benefits for the individual as learner, the school as a community and potentially the wider community in years to come. This is a theoretical position in the lineage of such theorists as Plato, Rousseau, and Dewey who have argued that education is a transformative practice that could be a tool in solving some of the issues that contemporary societies face. To examine the issue of connectedness, focus group research was chosen as the most beneficial methodology, as it allowed the stakeholders to explore their understanding of connectedness in small groups of their peers. It was important that the students in particular were allowed to develop their discourses of connectedness, as they were at the centre of the converging and diverging discourses. For this reason there were four student focus groups. The students selected for each of the student focus groups were targeted because of particular characteristics. They were purposively sampled to examine how, if at all, these discourses changed if the student was a high achiever, a quiet student, a student committed to the co-curricular programme of the school or a student who had been in regular trouble with the school hierarchy. There were also two parent focus groups, two staff focus groups, and a focus group made up of members of the school council. The contributions of the various focus groups were analysed in the light of the work done by the French theorist Michel Foucault concerning the institution and the way that it deploys discursive practices to govern and regulate the subject. A number of his ideas that have been particularly important in this work. Foucault’s power, discourse and governmentality have informed the analysis of the data and have supported the conclusions drawn. The key finding of this dissertation is that discourses of connectedness are crucial in determining how students feel about their schools. Many of the stakeholder groups hold diverging expectations of what connectedness is. These findings, and others, have implications for the management of schools in Western Australia.