The lessons from Catalonia and Sweden, based in instrumental or vocal music performance, are analysed taking into account the respective teachers’ goals and practices. The implications of the two different methodologies used, top-down big ensemble and collaborative small groups, and their relationship to constructivist pedagogies are discussed.

The trend in process-oriented curricula reform began in the mid-1980s and 1990s in response to a call for nursing education to graduate registered nurses that were responsive to a changing society. Many curricula were redesigned from a traditional approach to a process-oriented approach at this time. The purpose of this study is to explore, from a Grounded Theory approach, how instructional strategies are determined within the Canadian classroom setting in a process-oriented curriculum. Interviews were conducted with 17 nurse educators from the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan (NEPS). Nurse educators represented courses from all years of the four-year baccalaureate program and all three sites. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim with data saturation reached after 13 interviews. Strauss and Corbins (1998) Grounded Theory analysis was utilized. Data analysis was assisted with the use of the qualitative data analysis software program Atlas.ti. The understanding of self was an integrating factor in the theory. The theory provides insights into the factors that have determined the types of instructional strategies utilized by full-time faculty within a generic process-oriented curriculum and identifies the support systems these nurse educators feel were or should be in place to assist in their roles. The research has implications for nurse educators, administrators, program planners, and students.

The trend in process-oriented curricula reform began in the mid-1980s and 1990s in response to a call for nursing education to graduate registered nurses that were responsive to a changing society. Many curricula were redesigned from a traditional approach to a process-oriented approach at this time. The purpose of this study is to explore, from a Grounded Theory approach, how instructional strategies are determined within the Canadian classroom setting in a process-oriented curriculum. Interviews were conducted with 17 nurse educators from the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan (NEPS). Nurse educators represented courses from all years of the four-year baccalaureate program and all three sites. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim with data saturation reached after 13 interviews. Strauss and Corbins (1998) Grounded Theory analysis was utilized. Data analysis was assisted with the use of the qualitative data analysis software program Atlas.ti. The understanding of self was an integrating factor in the theory. The theory provides insights into the factors that have determined the types of instructional strategies utilized by full-time faculty within a generic process-oriented curriculum and identifies the support systems these nurse educators feel were or should be in place to assist in their roles. The research has implications for nurse educators, administrators, program planners, and students.

The study explored instructors' conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices in four Ethiopian universities in the light of the existing calls for the employment of student-centred approach to teaching in higher education in Ethiopia. The study was grounded on the assumption that instructors are unlikely to adopt student-centred approach to teaching unless their conceptions of teaching are developed and/or unless the teaching environment is supportive. To address the objective of the study, data were collected using a mixed methods research design using a sequential exploratory strategy. Based on this strategy, data were obtained first qualitatively from 20 instructors through interviews and classroom observations and then quantitatively from 160 instructors and 170 students through questionnaires. The data from the interviews and the classroom observations were analysed qualitatively using a phenomenographic approach and content analysis respectively whereas the data from the questionnaires were analysed statistically using SPSS. From this, frequencies, mean scores and percentages were computed in order to summarise and interpret responses. In addition, independent samples test and one-way ANOVA were applied to examine the differences in conceptions of and approaches to teaching among instructors. Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to examine the relationship between instructors‟ conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices. From the results, it was found that instructors‟ conceptions of teaching in the four universities incline towards the student-centred conception of teaching though there were also instructors whose conceptions of teaching were the traditional teacher-centred. Regarding teaching practices, although the instructors claimed that their teaching practices were student-centred, the results of the study appear to suggest that meaningful instructional practices were still under the influence of the traditional conception of teaching. In addition, numerous factors were found to be impeding the proper implementation of student-centred instruction including the background of the students, the instructors‟ obsession with lecturing and lack of enabling environment. Based on the findings, teaching improvement programs that develop instructors‟ conceptions of teaching were suggested. Furthermore, a supportive environment that enables instructors to translate their changed conceptions of teaching into their teaching practices was recommended. Finally, recommendations for further studies were provided. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The general aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of active learning approaches in the teaching of English Language support courses to first-year university students. The study was planned to identify factors that affected the implementation of active learning in classrooms where English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is taught, the perceptions of EFL instructors and their students regarding active learning, the linkage between assessment practices and productive skills, and the commonly used types of active learning techniques. The study was conducted in three Ethiopian universities and employed a qualitative approach to data generation and analysis. As such, data generation strategies focused on relevant documents, classroom observation, individual interviews, and focus group discussions. The participants of the study included 27 EFL instructors and their students (17 groups of focus group discussion), enrolled for English Language support courses at freshman level. Based on my analysis of the data, the primary barriers to the implementation of active learning techniques in EFL classrooms were as follows: Students’ poor background exposure to the English language; Students’ negative associations with language learning; EFL instructors’ ineffective classroom management; The adverse influence of students’ external social environments; Dependency in group work; low relevance of English Language support courses; Lack of administrative support from Universities. The participants of the study were aware of the importance of active learning and student-centred approaches and in favour of the implementation thereof. Despite this, they did not feel that they practised them effectively in the teaching and learning process. In fact, the instructors explained that, in the face of very unfavourable circumstances for active learning and student-centred approaches, they felt utterly disappointed, with no sense of achievement, when attempting to use these approaches in their classrooms; they did not believe that the existing situation was conducive to the implementation of active learning and student-centred approach. Furthermore, these EFL instructors did not use a variety of active learning techniques in the teaching and learning process of English supportive courses. The dominant techniques they used were group work and pair work. They did not utilise alternative techniques to teach essential productive skills (i.e. speaking and writing).The participants also indicated that the assessment techniques they used were not closely related to lesson objectives or language learning goals in the development of productive skills. The relationship between assessment types and active learning techniques was characterised by traditional pencil-and-paper tests designed solely for grading purposes; and not to improve the actual learning process. In grading, the weight given to productive skills was very small in contrast to that assigned to receptive skills (i.e. listening and reading), grammar and vocabulary. Their relationship involved teaching simply to prepare students for tests, irrelevant and untimely feedback, substandard assessment, absence of dynamism in the two-dimensional assessment techniques, and incongruence between assessment techniques and actual language skills and competence. In relation to feedback, both the students and their instructors pointed out that EFL students were more concerned with their grades than with the potential to learn when receiving feedback on their writing or oral presentations. In line with these findings, this thesis concluded by offering relevant recommendations for alleviating the problems observed in the teaching of English language support courses - both in general and with particular regard to productive skills development. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

The study explored instructors' conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices in four Ethiopian universities in the light of the existing calls for the employment of student-centred approach to teaching in higher education in Ethiopia. The study was grounded on the assumption that instructors are unlikely to adopt student-centred approach to teaching unless their conceptions of teaching are developed and/or unless the teaching environment is supportive. To address the objective of the study, data were collected using a mixed methods research design using a sequential exploratory strategy. Based on this strategy, data were obtained first qualitatively from 20 instructors through interviews and classroom observations and then quantitatively from 160 instructors and 170 students through questionnaires. The data from the interviews and the classroom observations were analysed qualitatively using a phenomenographic approach and content analysis respectively whereas the data from the questionnaires were analysed statistically using SPSS. From this, frequencies, mean scores and percentages were computed in order to summarise and interpret responses. In addition, independent samples test and one-way ANOVA were applied to examine the differences in conceptions of and approaches to teaching among instructors. Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to examine the relationship between instructors‟ conceptions of teaching and their teaching practices. From the results, it was found that instructors‟ conceptions of teaching in the four universities incline towards the student-centred conception of teaching though there were also instructors whose conceptions of teaching were the traditional teacher-centred. Regarding teaching practices, although the instructors claimed that their teaching practices were student-centred, the results of the study appear to suggest that meaningful instructional practices were still under the influence of the traditional conception of teaching. In addition, numerous factors were found to be impeding the proper implementation of student-centred instruction including the background of the students, the instructors‟ obsession with lecturing and lack of enabling environment. Based on the findings, teaching improvement programs that develop instructors‟ conceptions of teaching were suggested. Furthermore, a supportive environment that enables instructors to translate their changed conceptions of teaching into their teaching practices was recommended. Finally, recommendations for further studies were provided. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)