A presente tese propõe a análise das racionalidades que orientam as condutas produtivas dos agricultores familiares modernos. Estes, ao viabilizarem sua sustentabilidade social promovem diferentes ajustes nos sistemas de produção. O estudo das condutas foi realizado a partir das suas práticas sociais, tendo como eixo as relações estabelecidas entre os agricultores e o mercado nas dimensões de comercialização, de tecnologias e de sociabilidade. Levantaram-se duas hipóteses: a primeira está assentada na ideia de que os agricultores familiares modernos, para orientar suas condutas, constroem diferentes racionalidades, resultantes de significados embasados pela sustentabilidade social; a segunda destaca que a construção das identidades socioprofissionais dos agricultores são definidas pelas racionalidades. A perspectiva de abordagem baseou-se nos agricultores familiares. Para melhor entendimento destas condutas sociais, o estudo fundamentou-se nos tipos ideais de Weber, o que possibilitou substituir a diversidade de condutas por um conjunto inteligível, coerente e racional. O universo social desta investigação contemplou duas regiões políticas do Paraná, o Sudoeste e o Oeste, um espaço continuum em que predominam estabelecimentos de agricultores familiares e heterogeneidade produtiva. Para o levantamento das informações, foram realizadas entrevistas com auxílio de roteiros semi-estruturados com agricultores e informantes qualificados. O conceito de racionalidade social de Weber foi utilizado para compreender as condutas sociais dos agricultores. Os homens, ao criarem valores, atribuem significados as suas condutas cujos valores orientadores expressam-se em racionalidades. Os resultados do estudo permitiram verificar que os agricultores forjam diferentes racionalidades e que a (re)construção das identidades socioprofissionais são definidas pelas racionalidades adotadas, confirmando as hipóteses da tese. As racionalidades que orientam as condutas dos agricultores têm importante contribuição na construção do conceito de agricultura familiar; os agricultores podem, também, ser definidos pela sua racionalidade na interação que estabelecem com o mercado. Esta especificidade entre os agricultores familiares, por sua vez, passa a demandar das políticas públicas de Estado um caráter cada vez menos universal e mais específico. / The present study proposes the analysis upon the rationalities that guide the production conducts of modern family farmers who foster different adjustments in the production systems through their social sustainability practices. The study of these conducts was carried out based on their social practices, always from the axis of the relations established between the farmers and the market as far as commercialization, technologies and sociability are concerned. Two hypothesis were assumed: the first one is founded on the idea that modern family farmers make different rationalities in order to guide their conducts, and these rationalities are the result of significations which are based upon social sustainability; the second hypothesis suggests that the construction of farmers' social identities is defined by these rationalities. The approach perspective was based on family farmers. So as to better understand these social conducts, this study was grounded on Weber's ideal types, and that made it possible to substitute the diversity of conducts for an intelligible, coherent and rational material. The social universe of this research involved two political regions of Paraná: southwest and west, which are a continuum space where family farmers' establishments and productive heterogeneity dominate. In order to provide information gathering, interviews were conducted with farmers and qualified informants with the use of semi structured scripts. Weber's concept of social rationality was used to comprehend farmers' social conducts. Men attribute meaning to their conducts when they create values, and the values that guide their conducts are expressed in rationalities. The results of the present study made it possible to determine that farmers build different rationalities and that the (re)construction of their social professional identities are defined by the rationalities adopted by them, which confirms the initial hypothesis herein stated. The rationalities that guide farmers conducts strongly contribute to the construction of the concept of family farming; farmers can also be defined by their rationality regarding the interaction they establish with the market. Hence, this specificity concerning family farmers calls for state public policies that are characteristically more specific and less universal.

A presente tese propõe a análise das racionalidades que orientam as condutas produtivas dos agricultores familiares modernos. Estes, ao viabilizarem sua sustentabilidade social promovem diferentes ajustes nos sistemas de produção. O estudo das condutas foi realizado a partir das suas práticas sociais, tendo como eixo as relações estabelecidas entre os agricultores e o mercado nas dimensões de comercialização, de tecnologias e de sociabilidade. Levantaram-se duas hipóteses: a primeira está assentada na ideia de que os agricultores familiares modernos, para orientar suas condutas, constroem diferentes racionalidades, resultantes de significados embasados pela sustentabilidade social; a segunda destaca que a construção das identidades socioprofissionais dos agricultores são definidas pelas racionalidades. A perspectiva de abordagem baseou-se nos agricultores familiares. Para melhor entendimento destas condutas sociais, o estudo fundamentou-se nos tipos ideais de Weber, o que possibilitou substituir a diversidade de condutas por um conjunto inteligível, coerente e racional. O universo social desta investigação contemplou duas regiões políticas do Paraná, o Sudoeste e o Oeste, um espaço continuum em que predominam estabelecimentos de agricultores familiares e heterogeneidade produtiva. Para o levantamento das informações, foram realizadas entrevistas com auxílio de roteiros semi-estruturados com agricultores e informantes qualificados. O conceito de racionalidade social de Weber foi utilizado para compreender as condutas sociais dos agricultores. Os homens, ao criarem valores, atribuem significados as suas condutas cujos valores orientadores expressam-se em racionalidades. Os resultados do estudo permitiram verificar que os agricultores forjam diferentes racionalidades e que a (re)construção das identidades socioprofissionais são definidas pelas racionalidades adotadas, confirmando as hipóteses da tese. As racionalidades que orientam as condutas dos agricultores têm importante contribuição na construção do conceito de agricultura familiar; os agricultores podem, também, ser definidos pela sua racionalidade na interação que estabelecem com o mercado. Esta especificidade entre os agricultores familiares, por sua vez, passa a demandar das políticas públicas de Estado um caráter cada vez menos universal e mais específico. / The present study proposes the analysis upon the rationalities that guide the production conducts of modern family farmers who foster different adjustments in the production systems through their social sustainability practices. The study of these conducts was carried out based on their social practices, always from the axis of the relations established between the farmers and the market as far as commercialization, technologies and sociability are concerned. Two hypothesis were assumed: the first one is founded on the idea that modern family farmers make different rationalities in order to guide their conducts, and these rationalities are the result of significations which are based upon social sustainability; the second hypothesis suggests that the construction of farmers' social identities is defined by these rationalities. The approach perspective was based on family farmers. So as to better understand these social conducts, this study was grounded on Weber's ideal types, and that made it possible to substitute the diversity of conducts for an intelligible, coherent and rational material. The social universe of this research involved two political regions of Paraná: southwest and west, which are a continuum space where family farmers' establishments and productive heterogeneity dominate. In order to provide information gathering, interviews were conducted with farmers and qualified informants with the use of semi structured scripts. Weber's concept of social rationality was used to comprehend farmers' social conducts. Men attribute meaning to their conducts when they create values, and the values that guide their conducts are expressed in rationalities. The results of the present study made it possible to determine that farmers build different rationalities and that the (re)construction of their social professional identities are defined by the rationalities adopted by them, which confirms the initial hypothesis herein stated. The rationalities that guide farmers conducts strongly contribute to the construction of the concept of family farming; farmers can also be defined by their rationality regarding the interaction they establish with the market. Hence, this specificity concerning family farmers calls for state public policies that are characteristically more specific and less universal.

A presente tese propõe a análise das racionalidades que orientam as condutas produtivas dos agricultores familiares modernos. Estes, ao viabilizarem sua sustentabilidade social promovem diferentes ajustes nos sistemas de produção. O estudo das condutas foi realizado a partir das suas práticas sociais, tendo como eixo as relações estabelecidas entre os agricultores e o mercado nas dimensões de comercialização, de tecnologias e de sociabilidade. Levantaram-se duas hipóteses: a primeira está assentada na ideia de que os agricultores familiares modernos, para orientar suas condutas, constroem diferentes racionalidades, resultantes de significados embasados pela sustentabilidade social; a segunda destaca que a construção das identidades socioprofissionais dos agricultores são definidas pelas racionalidades. A perspectiva de abordagem baseou-se nos agricultores familiares. Para melhor entendimento destas condutas sociais, o estudo fundamentou-se nos tipos ideais de Weber, o que possibilitou substituir a diversidade de condutas por um conjunto inteligível, coerente e racional. O universo social desta investigação contemplou duas regiões políticas do Paraná, o Sudoeste e o Oeste, um espaço continuum em que predominam estabelecimentos de agricultores familiares e heterogeneidade produtiva. Para o levantamento das informações, foram realizadas entrevistas com auxílio de roteiros semi-estruturados com agricultores e informantes qualificados. O conceito de racionalidade social de Weber foi utilizado para compreender as condutas sociais dos agricultores. Os homens, ao criarem valores, atribuem significados as suas condutas cujos valores orientadores expressam-se em racionalidades. Os resultados do estudo permitiram verificar que os agricultores forjam diferentes racionalidades e que a (re)construção das identidades socioprofissionais são definidas pelas racionalidades adotadas, confirmando as hipóteses da tese. As racionalidades que orientam as condutas dos agricultores têm importante contribuição na construção do conceito de agricultura familiar; os agricultores podem, também, ser definidos pela sua racionalidade na interação que estabelecem com o mercado. Esta especificidade entre os agricultores familiares, por sua vez, passa a demandar das políticas públicas de Estado um caráter cada vez menos universal e mais específico. / The present study proposes the analysis upon the rationalities that guide the production conducts of modern family farmers who foster different adjustments in the production systems through their social sustainability practices. The study of these conducts was carried out based on their social practices, always from the axis of the relations established between the farmers and the market as far as commercialization, technologies and sociability are concerned. Two hypothesis were assumed: the first one is founded on the idea that modern family farmers make different rationalities in order to guide their conducts, and these rationalities are the result of significations which are based upon social sustainability; the second hypothesis suggests that the construction of farmers' social identities is defined by these rationalities. The approach perspective was based on family farmers. So as to better understand these social conducts, this study was grounded on Weber's ideal types, and that made it possible to substitute the diversity of conducts for an intelligible, coherent and rational material. The social universe of this research involved two political regions of Paraná: southwest and west, which are a continuum space where family farmers' establishments and productive heterogeneity dominate. In order to provide information gathering, interviews were conducted with farmers and qualified informants with the use of semi structured scripts. Weber's concept of social rationality was used to comprehend farmers' social conducts. Men attribute meaning to their conducts when they create values, and the values that guide their conducts are expressed in rationalities. The results of the present study made it possible to determine that farmers build different rationalities and that the (re)construction of their social professional identities are defined by the rationalities adopted by them, which confirms the initial hypothesis herein stated. The rationalities that guide farmers conducts strongly contribute to the construction of the concept of family farming; farmers can also be defined by their rationality regarding the interaction they establish with the market. Hence, this specificity concerning family farmers calls for state public policies that are characteristically more specific and less universal.

Professional development (PD) of teachers is part of the Department of Basic Education‘s (DBE) initiative to encourage school communities to use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve the quality of Mathematics teaching and learning. The South African Council of Educators stipulates that PD programmes should align with system-wide needs, strengthen learning area content and outcomes, and promote system transformation. Imbedded in this system-wide criterion is The White Paper on e-Education to employ a fully ICT integrated system at all levels of education: management, teaching and learning, and administration by 2013. Mathematics teachers require PD that develops their technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) and their social professional identity (SPI). The PD of Mathematics teachers for ICT integration can assist the DBE to achieve the aims of The White Paper on e-Education and bridge the technology gap between South Africa and international education systems. Open distance learning (ODL) could be a viable method to deliver PD to Mathematics teachers to address their zone of proximal development, develop their TPACK, and establish and maintain their SPI. This study made use of a fully mixed sequential equal status multi-mode research design and methodologies to develop guidelines for the PD of Mathematics teachers in the pedagogical use of ICT in ODL. The qualitative phase (Phase I) was rooted in the interpretivist paradigm. Through an adjustable exploration of a systematic literature review, the researcher identified 23 core documents, analysed them with Atlas.ti™, and conceptualised four themes according to Engeström‘s third generation activity theory (AT). Phase II (radical exploration phase) of the research design was rooted in the radical structuralist paradigm. In the context of transformation, it developed, validated, and standardised a research instrument for the measurement of Mathematics teachers‘ PD requirements. The instrument was distributed to 300 senior phase (grades 7-9) Mathematics teachers in eight education management district centres of the WCED. The analyses of the quantitative data conceptualised a fifth activity system. The five activity systems from the adjustable and radical exploration phases were symbiotic, and co-dependent. Expansive learning was used for boundary crossing and network building during six phases of this study. The findings from the six phases of the expansive learning cycle indicated that PD of Mathematics teachers in ODL for Phase III implementation of the e-Education policy should be a joint initiative. Fundamentally ICT integration and implementation should start with Department of Basic Education (DBE) initiatives. The DBE and Provincial Departments of Education (PDEs) should conduct a needs analysis of ICT implementation, evaluate previous ICT PD programmes, plan ICT PD strategies aligned with the ICT development plan, as well as with the requirements of the Mathematics teachers. The DBE and PDE should invest in the provision of ICT equipment, afford human capital, reinstate the laptop initiative for teachers, and supply schools with networked-computer facilities to explore online platforms for PD. Mathematics teachers should assess their professional knowledge to construct new philosophies, create a subject network group, and interact as participants and members within their social environments. The standardised instrument could be used to determine and compare the PD of Mathematics teachers in other provinces and contexts. / PhD (Training and development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Professional development (PD) of teachers is part of the Department of Basic Education‘s (DBE) initiative to encourage school communities to use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve the quality of Mathematics teaching and learning. The South African Council of Educators stipulates that PD programmes should align with system-wide needs, strengthen learning area content and outcomes, and promote system transformation. Imbedded in this system-wide criterion is The White Paper on e-Education to employ a fully ICT integrated system at all levels of education: management, teaching and learning, and administration by 2013. Mathematics teachers require PD that develops their technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) and their social professional identity (SPI). The PD of Mathematics teachers for ICT integration can assist the DBE to achieve the aims of The White Paper on e-Education and bridge the technology gap between South Africa and international education systems. Open distance learning (ODL) could be a viable method to deliver PD to Mathematics teachers to address their zone of proximal development, develop their TPACK, and establish and maintain their SPI. This study made use of a fully mixed sequential equal status multi-mode research design and methodologies to develop guidelines for the PD of Mathematics teachers in the pedagogical use of ICT in ODL. The qualitative phase (Phase I) was rooted in the interpretivist paradigm. Through an adjustable exploration of a systematic literature review, the researcher identified 23 core documents, analysed them with Atlas.ti™, and conceptualised four themes according to Engeström‘s third generation activity theory (AT). Phase II (radical exploration phase) of the research design was rooted in the radical structuralist paradigm. In the context of transformation, it developed, validated, and standardised a research instrument for the measurement of Mathematics teachers‘ PD requirements. The instrument was distributed to 300 senior phase (grades 7-9) Mathematics teachers in eight education management district centres of the WCED. The analyses of the quantitative data conceptualised a fifth activity system. The five activity systems from the adjustable and radical exploration phases were symbiotic, and co-dependent. Expansive learning was used for boundary crossing and network building during six phases of this study. The findings from the six phases of the expansive learning cycle indicated that PD of Mathematics teachers in ODL for Phase III implementation of the e-Education policy should be a joint initiative. Fundamentally ICT integration and implementation should start with Department of Basic Education (DBE) initiatives. The DBE and Provincial Departments of Education (PDEs) should conduct a needs analysis of ICT implementation, evaluate previous ICT PD programmes, plan ICT PD strategies aligned with the ICT development plan, as well as with the requirements of the Mathematics teachers. The DBE and PDE should invest in the provision of ICT equipment, afford human capital, reinstate the laptop initiative for teachers, and supply schools with networked-computer facilities to explore online platforms for PD. Mathematics teachers should assess their professional knowledge to construct new philosophies, create a subject network group, and interact as participants and members within their social environments. The standardised instrument could be used to determine and compare the PD of Mathematics teachers in other provinces and contexts. / PhD (Training and development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014