Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-05-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:11:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 affonso_dm_me_bauru.pdf: 775110 bytes, checksum: 297ca3ba87739159746685cd75760dcf (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar se o uso de um objeto de aprendizagem (OA) poderia auxiliar alunos do Ensino Fundamental a desenvolverem funções cognitivas sobre a digestão. A escolha do sistema digestório como conteúdo para a construção de um OA reside no fato de que é um assunto de sala de aula e que envolve questões sociais e ambientais, além dos próprios conceitos científicos inerentes ao assunto. A teoria sócio-construtivista de Vygotsky orientou essa pesquisa sobre o desenvolvimento dos conceitos científicos das alunas mediado pela interação com o OA digital. Os resultados mostraram que foi percebido a integração dos sistemas digestório, circulatório e respiratório após o trabalho das alunas com o OA. A metodologia utilizada neste trabalho foi qualitativa, sendo os dados colhidos a partir de observações durante e após as aulas ministradas a alunas da 7ª série do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola estadual de Bauru. Diante dos resultados apresentados considera-se que a tecnologia da informação, mais especificamente um OA digital, oferece um potencial a ser explorado para melhoria do ensino e aprendizagem de conceitos científicos. / A contemporary challenge is in front of science education: is it educated students able to realize the relationship between science and technology? This work will show how computer technology can be used as a tool for science teaching. The technology discussed here is a Digital Learning Object about the human digestive system. The students have your own ideas about the digestive system and these ideas are often discussed between teacher and the students. Our finding have suggested that computer technology can create new teaching possibilities. In addition the Learning Object has a significant effect on development scientific concepts.

This thesis focuses on the contest that can be defined as an epoch in Irish political discourse, the Treaty of Lisbon referendum 2008. It approaches the subject from an alternative angle to current research, which predominately focuses on the outcome of the referendum rather than the causes of the outcome. Principally, this research offers a critical discourse analysis of the preliminary debate covering the sessions of Dáil Éireann from the begin of the debate on 3rd April 2008 to the final statements on the 23rd April 2008 which debated the controversial government backed Treaty of Lisbon. This thesis wishes to trace the ways in which opposition actors attempted to resonate their arguments with chronicled master frameworks of Irish foreign policy a tactic which has emerged as a key ideological resource, and to the extent they utilised neutrality as a persuasive tool in influencing the outcome of the debate.

This study aims to analyse the relationship between the design and implementation of an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) in Mathematical Literacy (ML) (reskilling) program and the development of teacher identities. This study confirms that teacher learning in an in‐service context is a social process that demands a social‐cultural perspective and therefore Wenger’s theory was used in this study. This study illustrates that teachers’ participation in an ACE ML community of practice involved the complex intersection of various components of learning: meaning (learning as experience), practice (learning as doing) and community (learning as belonging) when development of teacher identities takes place. The course was also designed in such a way as to promote a changing way of being. The emerging identities were different in each individual as identity is influenced by the past, the present and the future according to Wenger. The study reveals that when meaning of the subject ML is gained, the meaning can be translated into changed classroom practice. These result in fostering a specific identity influenced by the ACE ML course’s attempts to support the development of understanding in relation to the meaning of ML. This leads to a change in classroom practice and ultimately a change in teachers’ way of ‘being’. This resonates with Wenger’s claim that the four learning components are deeply interconnected and mutually defined. The new trajectories that teachers developed can be grouped into three categories: • Where teachers back grounded their previous identities and fore grounded their ML identities. • Where the teachers added their ML identity to their existing identity, leaving them with a dual identity, the one they had before their involvement in the ACE ML course and the ML identity. • Where those teachers whose existing identity stayed strong, and their ML identity was still developing or was less strong.

It seems popular to showcase a healthy lifestyle today. Microblogging apps like Instagram are utilized to share pictures of the gym, healthy food and results from various exercises, but what is really considered healthy in today's society? The aim of this thesis was to examine why and how individuals create representations of health in the realm of Instagram. We examined representations of health, what it means to be healthy to Instagram users, and their intentions with their picture-posting. This thesis is based on social constructivist theory, theories concerning narcissism and identity, Goffman's dramaturgical theory and Bourdieu's theory concerning social capital. We used observations and semi-structured interviews to collect data, and qualitative content analysis to categorize and analyze it. Our examination concludes that health is represented by depictions of food and selfies showing the photographer exercising, and that the most common intention with posting pictures representing health is to inspire and motivate others and oneself. / Varför är det idag så populärt att dela med sig av sitt hälsosamma liv? Mikrobloggverktyg som Instagram används för att dela med sig av bilder föreställande gymmet, grönsalladen och resultat av löparrundor, men vad är egentligen hälsa idag? Detta fick oss att vilja undersöka presentationer av hälsa inom Instagram. Undersökningens syfte var att studera hur och varför individer förmedlar bilder av hälsa genom Instagram. Vi studerade hur hälsa presenteras, vad hälsa är för Instagramanvändare samt vad olika individers intention är med bilderna. Vi utgick ifrån teorier som socialkonstruktivism, narcissism, Goffmans dramaturgiska perspektiv samt Bourdieus kapitalbegrepp i vår dataanalys. Som metod har vi använt observation och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Datan tematiserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultaten visar att hälsa till majoritet representeras av bilder föreställande mat samt självporträtt av individer i träningssammanhang. Vi kan även konstatera att den starkaste intentionen med publicering av bilder representerande hälsa är att inspirera andra och motivera sig själv.

MEd thesis / Abstract This study explores teachers’ understanding about ways in which assessment supports learning and teaching within the context of grappling with the new curriculum. It argues that formative assessment, supports a socialconstructivist view of learning and teaching. It suggests that formative assessment functions in a fundamentally different way to summative assessment, and could assist teachers in moving towards a more conceptual approach to learning and teaching. Teachers’ views are explored in focus groups in which teachers discuss their choice and use of either traditional or alternative assessment tasks, in their mathematics lessons. The findings suggest, however, that teachers’ ability to use assessment in this way is influenced by their own views of mathematics learning, their current views of assessment, the amount of support provided in the assessment materials, and the practices of the school. Key words Formative assessment Social constructivist Focus groups Phenomenography Primary school Mathematics Assessment Investigations

This thesis explores senior high school student learning in biology in Taiwan. The Confucian-heritage culture and beliefs associated with high stakes examinations influences the learning context in biology. There is a considerable body of international research on teaching and learning in senior high biology. There appears to be limited research on student and teacher views of learning in biology in this context. A social constructivist view of learning underpins this study. Using an interpretive paradigm, this study explores student and teacher perceptions of student learning experiences in senior high school biology. There are three phases in this study. In the first phase, Grade 11 and Grade 12 students and teacher perceptions of the existing teaching and learning situation in biology was explored. In the second phase, an intervention was designed and implemented for Grade 12 students. In the third phase, the intervention was evaluated. The findings of this study indicate that most students take biology to increase their options for entering tertiary education. Noticeably, they were using learning approaches that they most disliked to increase their biology marks. Most of them considered the current biology classes were very effective in coping with the major examination, but the teaching was monotonous and teaching content as seemingly unrelated to real life. The teachers perceived that student learning was passive, which contributed to the teachers feeling of exhaustion. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that both the students and teachers were dissatisfied with the current teaching and learning situation. A more interactive teaching and learning approach and more student responsibility in investigations were suggested by the respondents. An intervention programme based on a social constructivist view of learning, including interactive teaching and open investigation, was designed and implemented. The intervention (70% lecture classes and 30% experiment classes) problematised the traditional lesson structure (90% lecture classes and 10% experiment classes) of senior biology in Taiwan, seeking a more cohesive and integrated overall structure for learning biology. Evaluation of the intervention programme suggested that through student-teacher and student-student interactions student conceptual and procedural understanding of biology was facilitated and their attitudes towards learning were enhanced. A few of the students could not accept the intervention as it conflicted with their view of learning in an examination culture. The implications of this research are that more teacher-student and peer interactions and open-ended investigations can lead to enhanced learning in biology in Taiwan for most senior high school students. Social constructivist approaches to teaching and learning are viable in a Taiwanese biology classroom context. The study also showed the potential for open investigations in this context.

This thesis highlights the complex nature of students’ experiences in the sexuality education classroom. It seeks to provide insight from the perspectives of Year 10 students in two classes on their experiences of a particular sexuality education programme. The purpose of this study was to ‘give voice to’ and explore the experiences of asmall group of nine Year 10 students in their compulsory co-educational sexuality education programme. To this end, the main source of data was focus group interviews with student participants. Students were asked to participate in focus group interviews part way through the unit of work and invited to share their thoughts, feelings and perceptions of the programme. The data analysis generated themes that describe student’s experiences in relation to course content, pedagogy and classroom organisation. The analysis of students’ talk in focus group interviews also showed that gender relations and emotional safety were important features of the students’ experiences of their sexuality education programme. More particularly, it was found that students valued their exposure to this subject and felt that school was a good place to learn about sexuality education. They enjoyed social constructivist teaching approaches that were student-centred and interactive. The students expressed some dissatisfaction with the way in which their sexuality education programme was organised and being delivered. In addition, there was evidence of both male and female students being influenced by traditional, hegemonic constructs of masculinity and femininity, and also a heteronormative culture within the classroom. The findings present implications for sexuality education teaching in relation to programme development and classroom practice. They suggest that sexuality educators may need to consider the way in which their classrooms are organised, as well as the pedagogical approaches they use, as it appears these aspects have significant influence on the emotional safety of students, on relationships within the classroom and on the student experience of sexuality education as a whole.

abstract: Empirical and theoretical gaps exist on the subject matter of attendee experiential behavior at community festivals as this action occurs in real time. To acquire knowledge and begin to build theory, attendee behavior was investigated through an interpretive lens to give rise to a socially constructed understanding of this phenomenon in contrast to typical positivist inquiry designs found in the field of event studies used to test theory and determine universal explanations. This ontology was deemed appropriate as human experience at community festivals is multifaceted, relative to social interactions, highly variable with complex meanings, and has a wide variety of consequential implications; all views representative of social constructivism. A grounded theory approach was used in conjunction with a participant observation method to collect data on attendee behavior during fieldwork undertaken at community festivals. Prior to fieldwork, literature was not reviewed nor specific theory pre-selected to serve as a basis for research, with the researcher's only intent to record attendee's on-site actions with an open mind. Fieldwork notes were systematically expanded into descriptive narratives that were broken down into initial codes to establish robust analytic directions, which were synthesized into categories and subcategories through focused coding. Relationships between categories and subcategories were reassembled with axial coding bringing into view a strong emergent theme on social capital bonding and bridging at community festivals and a second theme that considers the aspirations of event management to program festive experiences. To strengthen the second theme event manager interviews and content analysis of event association newsletters were conducted as theoretical sampling to move data towards saturation. From emergent themes it was theorized, while social capital bonding is profusely exhibited at community festivals, social capital bridging is minimally displayed unless augmented with programmed festivity to increase physical, emotional, and social engagement of attendees. Literature reviewed in relation to this theory revealed that spirituality, dance, music, the arts, and wild abandonment were important elements of festivity. An implication arising from this study indicates that if community festivals consciously enhance programmed festivity then correspondingly increased social capital impacts within community development might also be achieved. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Community Resources and Development 2013

Sammanfattning Syftet med studien är att belysa det specialpedagogiska uppdraget ur ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv.  Historiskt sett har det specialpedagogiska uppdraget förändrats i takt med politik och utbildningskultur, vilket kan ha inneburit svårigheter med att befästa en yrkesgrupp.  Det kan också innebära att det finns otydligheter kring uppdraget, vilket i sin tur möjliggör olika tolkningar utifrån personlighet och kontext. I denna studie studeras det specialpedagogiska uppdraget genom samtal med några personer som innehar specialpedagogisk kompetens. Tanken är att försöka förstå det specialpedagogiska uppdraget med inspiration från Berger och Luckmanns (2010) tresidiga modell, som innebär att institutioner genomgår en rad processer för att slutligen bli socialt accepterade. Institutioner i detta sammanhang kan vara en yrkesgrupp eller en arbetsfördelning. Berger och Luckmann använder sig av termer som externalisering, objektivering och slutligen internalisering. När en internalisering har skett är också något socialt accepterat. Samtalen i studien kan beskrivas som en ostrukturerad intervju, då intervjuerna är upplagda utifrån olika kategorier. Ahlefeld Nissers (2009) kunskapande samtal har funnits med som en inspiration i intervjuerna, då vi kan mötas som likvärdiga och med ömsesidig respekt. Det specialpedagogiska uppdraget beskrivs av respondenterna som svårtolkat och i samtalen framkom olika dilemman som försvårar i exempelvis mötet med övriga pedagoger En slutsats är att det saknas en nationell tydlighet kring det specialpedagogiska uppdraget vilket kan betyda att uppdraget konstrueras genom egna erfarenheter och omgivningens behov. Utifrån respondenternas berättelse i denna studie framkommer flera olika processer som tyder på att mycket i det specialpedagogiska uppdraget inte är internaliserat det vill säga, helt accepterat av omgivningen. / Abstract The purpose of the study is to elucidate the special education assignment from a social constructivist perspective. Historically, the special education assignment has changed in line with politics and the culture of education, which may have entailed difficulties in consolidating a professional group. It can also mean that there are ambiguities about the assignment, which in turn enables different interpretations based on personality and context. In this study, the special pedagogical assignment is studied through conversations with some persons who have special pedagogical competence. The idea is to try to understand the special education assignment inspired by Berger and Luckmann's (2010) three-sided model, which means that institutions undergo a series of processes to finally become socially accepted. Institutions in this context may be a professional group or a division of labor. Berger and Luckmann use terms such as externalization, objectification and finally internalization. When an internalization has taken place, something is socially accepted as well. The interviews in the study can be described as an unstructured interview, since the interviews are arranged according to different categories. Ahlefeld Nisser's (2009) knowledgeable conversation has been an inspiration in the interviews, since we can meet as equals and with mutual respect. The special education assignment is described by the respondents as difficult to interpret, and in the conversations various dilemmas emerged that are difficult in, for example, the meeting with other educators. Based on the respondents' story in this study, several different processes emerge which indicate that much in the special education assignment is not internalized, that is, fully accepted by the environment.

While much is known about the benefits of professional learning communities as supportive structures for teaching teams to work together to increase student learning opportunities, team development requires strong administrators and teacher leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher leaders' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of professional learning communities in the middle school setting. With a foundation in constructivist and organizational learning theories, differences in teacher leaders' perceptions were investigated based on gender, number of years teaching at the schools, and number of years on the school leadership team. Within a nonexperimental, quantitative research design, 380 participants were invited and 127 responded to the Professional Learning Communities Assessment-Revised (PLCA-R) survey. A t test for independent samples was used to examine gender differences, and one-way ANOVAs were used to analyze differences in perceptions based on number of years teaching and number of years on the school leadership team. The results revealed no statistically significant differences for any of the variables on any of the PLCA-R domains, but there was a statistically significant difference (p = .013) in the PLCA-R overall scores for years of teaching experience. The information from these overall scores reflects a strong relationship between the number of years teaching, either 6-10 or 11+, and the domains in the survey. Results of this study add to the research on middle school professional learning communities and may contribute to positive social change by providing information on the perceived strengths and weaknesses that exist in professional learning communities.