Thesis (Ed.D.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2007. / Thesis advisor: Nancy Hoffman. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-107). Also available via the World Wide Web.

This interpretive study aims to investigate the difficulties in English academic writing as perceived by Saudi postgraduate students and their English supervisors in an English-speaking country. In accordance with the exploratory nature of the methodological approach adopted in this study, the research design of the current study employs a sequential mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase is represented by the questionnaire whereas semi-structured interviews and document analysis constitute the qualitative phase. From the sample, 275 students were asked to fill in the prepared questionnaire whilst 15 students, of both genders, and 9 supervisors were asked to participate in an interview. Ten samples of students’ written feedback from their supervisors were provided. Data were analysed quantitatively using SPSS descriptive statistics and qualitatively using MAXQDA software. The findings of the current study revealed that Saudi postgraduate students face the following difficulties in their English academic writing: not having sufficient academic vocabulary, avoiding plagiarism, using cohesive devices properly, constructing logical arguments, making coherent links between ideas, and demonstrating critical thinking in their academic writing. Furthermore, the current study highlighted that the difficulties could be attributed to a number of factors, including those related to learners, context, and instruction. Several strategies were proposed that could assist Saudi students in improving their academic writing. Additionally, the lack of academic preparation in the KSA had a negative influence on the proficiency of Saudi postgraduate students in their English academic writing, resulting in disparities between the expectations placed on students in their postgraduate studies in the UK and the actual results achieved by Saudi students. The findings also revealed that EAP courses in the UK often aided students in learning writing techniques; however, these courses have certain limitations. According to the findings of the current study, a theoretical model is suggested to help Saudi postgraduate students in their English academic writing. Based on the study findings, implications are drawn for policy makers and for practice in the education system in Saudi Arabia. Finally, suggestions for further research are provided.

The requirement for a written element in the B.A (Hons) Arts degree has been in place since the Coldstream Report of 1960. Since that time, there have been discussions, scholarly articles and further government committees addressing the way that this component is delivered by universities and colleges. These discussions centre on the content, the assessment of the content and its relationship to students' own practice. There are many divergent views about how the subject, variously called contextual, critical or complementary studies, should be presented by the students in a way that has academic rigour and enhances studio practice. However, I have identified a gap in that literature: there also is a rich history of artists and, more recently, designers writing about their own and others' practice. I sought to establish whether or not the writing of established practitioners could be useful in improving students' own efforts and encouraging a synthesis between the written work in their final year journals, (an alternative to the traditional dissertation) and their studio practice. The methodology that seemed most appropriate was an instrumental case study, with data from interviews (transcriptions), text analysis and analytic induction of the writings by established practitioners and the students' writings about their own work and the work of others. Experience and by now conventional practice suggests that all students refer to the work of established practitioners, not always from their own chosen discipline. Although the students are not necessarily asked to research and write about other established practitioners, inevitably they will do so to engage with, identify and contextualise theory and history. There was a general lack of understanding about the complexities of the intended learning outcomes and, importantly, the sub-assessment criteria that was realised to be more difficult to explain and understand than the more traditional, essay method of the dissertation. This difficulty was mainly owing to the students' lack of experience in critical thinking and poor research skills when writing about their own work. The task for third year students was burdensome for some, but easier for those students who had critical studies embedded in their studio practice. In only one discipline were the tutors optimistic about the abilities of their students to understand the criteria and therefore likely to be successful in the assessment of the journal. This finding was mirrored in their students' responses. The lack of interest and wide knowledge of some tutors in comparison with other colleagues lead to a tension between what is currently learnt in the studio and what is learnt from non-studio teaching. I explored the relevant writings using the three themes of production, content and consumption. A comparison between students' and established practitioners' writing, using the criteria for the intended learning outcomes for the critical studies module, found that there were both some similarities and some important differences. On the basis of the evidence, the journal could provide the students with a more insightful understanding of their studio practice if there is: • A revision of the assessment criteria, using the saturation points of established practitioners writing in my analysis tables; • Much greater fostering of interest into the reading of established practitioners' writing; and• A team of tutors who are able and willing to teach critical studies/research alongside the studio work. These findings have implications for the training of the staff as well as the structure of the degree courses in art and design.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 106 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-87).

Thesis (M.A.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-129). Also available on the World Wide Web.

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Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / As an official and second language in Ghana, English is used as a medium of instruction in the Ghanaian educational setting, especially at the university level. Therefore, for Ghanaian students to go through their university education successfully, they should be able to demonstrate competence in the usage of English. However, time and again, there have been series of complaints from most English language teachers about the Ghanaian students’ lack of dexterity in writing cohesive and coherent texts. The present study, therefore, has as its aim to explore texture in first-year Ghanaian undergraduate students' essays (GUSEs). This focus is achieved through four main specific objectives. Thus, the study accounts for (1) the types of cohesive devices (2) the cohesive errors (3) the disciplinary variation in the type of cohesive devices and cohesive errors and (4) the thematic progression patterns in the essays of these first-year Ghanaian undergraduate students. To achieve these objectives, I use the Systemic Functional Linguistics perspective to text analysis, specifically the metafunction of texture as projected by Halliday (1967, 1970, 1985, 1994, and 2004), Halliday and Hasan (1976), Martin and Rose (2003) and Martin (2015). / 2023

Skrivning är en central del av undervisningen för elever i årskurs 4–6. Under vår verksamhetsförlagda utbildning har vi märkt att elevers attityder till skrivande ser olika ut beroende på om texten skrivs för hand eller på dator. Litteraturstudien undersöker hur användandet av datorer i undervisningen påverkar elevers skrivutveckling i årskurs 4–6. De frågeställningar som besvaras är: Vad är avgörande för att en datorbaserad undervisning ska bli gynnsam för elevers skrivutveckling? Vilka effekter har datorn på elevers skrivutveckling?   Litteraturstudien bygger på internationell och nationell forskning om hur en datorbaserad undervisning påverkar elevers skrivutveckling med utgångspunkt i årskurs 4–6. Även forskning gällande övriga elever i grundskolan samt gymnasiet har inkluderats. Studien innehåller tio vetenskapliga artiklar, en doktorsavhandling samt ett konferensbidrag.   Resultatet av litteraturstudien visar att datorn har positiva effekter på elevers skrivande då de upplever att de kan ägna mer tid åt textens innehåll och mindre tid åt formandet av bokstäver och eventuella stavfel. Litteraturstudiens resultat visar att för att användandet av datorer ska vara gynnsamt krävs det att eleverna ges möjligheter att utveckla sina kunskaper om datorns utformning och hantering. Litteraturstudiens resultat visar även att lärares intresse och kunskaper är avgörande i alla årskurser, för att datorn ska kunna användas som ett arbetsverktyg i undervisningen. Slutligen har vi i litteraturstudien kommit fram till att lärare behöver erbjuda en varierad undervisning där eleverna ges möjlighet att skriva texter både för hand och med dator för att tillgodose alla elevers förutsättningar och behov.

This doctoral dissertation intends to contribute to an understanding of the experiences of Mexican American students in a high school to college transitional program and how their culture influences their writing. The transitional program used for the study was located at a community college in the Southwest. This qualitative study incorporated the research instruments of interviews and writing samples using discourse analysis. From the results of this study, several themes emerged and demonstrated how both cultural and social capital are significant in these students’ experiences as they participate in the transitional high school to college program. Research has asserted the high rates of Mexican American students dropping out of school and not completing higher education. This study will enable us to help reduce the current rate of attrition and help students complete their higher education. This study’s findings have implications for the field of adult education because they provide a lens to understand the importance of cultural and social capital as they relate to adult students learning in the classroom.

The dissertation analyses how to approach teaching of writing skills in Russian language at Czech secondary schools. In the theoretical part I define what a "writing skill" is. I focus on the linguistic, psycholinguistic and didactic aspects of the teaching of writing. I explain attitudes to writing skills in different teaching methods in history and nowadays. After that I set out the requirements for testing writing skills in some of the most common documents: Common European Framework for Languages, European Language Portfolio, international exams in Russian language ТРКИ (Тест русского языка как иностранного) or TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) and the state final exam in Russian language at Czech secondary schools. In the practical part, I first analyse selected Czech and Russian textbooks for grammar schools to compare their approach towards teaching writing skills in native languages: Czech and Russian. Then I set out analysis of Czech textbooks used in the Czech Republic for teaching Russian, focusing in particular on the exercises used to teach writing. After that, I evaluate answers from two questionnaires that I gave to secondary school graduates and teachers of Russian. My goal was to understand the issues they face and any problems they experience in practice when learning...