This dissertation reports the findings of a comparative case study of English and Chinese academic writing with respect to the use of composing strategies, the patterns of written discourse organization, and questionnaire responses regarding educational background and attitudes toward writing.The subjects were eighteen traditional senior college students -- nine native speakers of English and nine native speakers of Chinese. Each subject was asked to write two essays on given topics with the think-aloud protocol method. While the protocol data showed that the composing strategies used by the American and Chinese subjects were similar, the American subjects used most of the strategies more frequently than the Chinese subjects did and there was a lack of group consistency in the use of these strategies among the subjects in the Chinese group. The written data, which were analyzed by means of Coe's (1988) discourse matrix method, showed that, contrary to prior claims, Chinese writing is not indirect in idea development in comparison to English writing. The questionnaire responses indicated that the subjects' composing performance was consonant with their instructors' methods of teaching writing and the curricula set up for teaching writing. Based on these findings, implications for contrastive research and EFL/ESL teaching are discussed and suggestions for further contrastive studies of English and Chinese writing are made. / Department of English

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 74-76).

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2009. / Title from screen (viewed on September 30, 2009). Department of English, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Ulla M. Connor, Thomas A. Upton, M. Catherine Beck. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-62).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 74-76). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--James Madison University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

A presente pesquisa procurou examinar o desenvolvimento profissional dos professores de Educação de Jovens e Adultos da Rede Municipal de Guarulhos enquanto professor de matemática assim como o papel de uma intervenção instrucional em termos de formação continuada da rede municipal. Para a realização de tal pesquisa procuramos, primeiramente, analisar respostas oriundas de questões apresentadas a nove professores - um questionário composto de dez questões formuladas com o objetivo de obter respostas a nossa questão de pesquisa assim desenhada: compreender de que modo e em que alcance o programa de formação continuada - da rede municipal de Guarulhos - tem contribuído para definir posturas e caminhos a serem tomados pelos professores de matemática da educação de jovens e adultos. Em um segundo momento, significados foram atribuídos às manifestações desses professores, pela via da impregnação de aspectos previamente considerados - de cunho político, cognitivo e cultural. Os resultados indicam que os professores e as professoras de Educação de Jovens e Adultos da Rede Municipal de Guarulhos embora não tenham tido em sua formação inicial e continuada orientação efetiva nessa modalidade, têm refletido e revisto seu entendimento sobre como lidar com os processos de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática de jovens e adultos. Indicam também que esses professores têm refletido sobre a própria postura diante da educação matemática junto a EJA, levando em consideração, de algum modo, a especificidade do conhecimento (matemático) prévio dos sujeitos jovens e adultos. / The present research tried to examine the professional development of the teachers of Young and Adult Students Education at Rede Municipal de Guarulhos [Guarulhos City Public Schools] as Mathematics teachers as well as the role of an instructional intervention in terms of continued education at city public schools. In order to do such research we tried, first of all, to analyze answers given to questions posed to nine teachers - a questionnaire composed of ten questions formulated with the aim of obtaining answers to our research matter: understanding in which way and range the continued education program - at Guarulhos City public schools - has contributed in the definition of postures and ways to be taken by Mathematics teachers of young and adult students education. Next, meanings were attributed to these teachers manifestations, via impregnation of aspects previously considered - of political, cognitive and cultural nature. The results indicate that the teachers of Young and Adult Students Education at Rede Municipal de Guarulhos, despite not having had in their initial formation and effective continued orientation in this modality, have reflected and revised their understanding about how to deal with Mathematics teaching and learning processes for young and adult students. They also indicate that these teachers have reflected about their own posture facing Mathematics education with EJA, taking into consideration, somehow, the specificity of young and adult subjects previous (mathematical) knowledge.

With English as the medium of academic exchange, Chinese students are the largest single overseas student group in the English speaking countries (2010). Relative to the outbound education market of other countries, the Chinese education market is large, and it is currently receiving much attention globally. Not only is South Africa one of countries where English is spoken, it has relatively speaking, low study fees and easily-accessed visas compared with countries in Europe and the United States. Therefore, South African universities have a virtually unlimited potential for receiving Chinese students. For South African education providers, particularly NMMU as the host university for the research in question, in order to render the expected education quality and to cater for the Chinese education market effectively, it is of utmost importance that the institutions have a clear understanding of Chinese students’ expectations as well as their actual academic experiences (in the broadest context) when studying at this university. The above is closely linked to the expected educational quality, the actual educational delivery as experienced by Chinese students, as well as the levels of satisfaction they experience as students at NMMU. The purpose of this research project is twofold. Firstly, it aims to construct a theoretical model showing the variables and relationships pertaining to expected and actual educational delivery as experienced by Chinese students. Having assessed the perceptions of the respondents based on the findings, another purpose is to design appropriate educational marketing strategies suitable to address the academic needs and expectations of Chinese students in the broadest context. By designing appropriate education strategies, the potential to develop the Chinese education market in South Africa will be enhanced. Given the purpose and nature of the research in question, methodological triangulation strategies were used. A Likert seven-point scale research instrument was developed and administered. Due to the limited number of respondents (n=61), the Likert scale instrument was further subjected to enrich the data by means of face-to-face interviews with 61 Chinese students (respondents), who shared their perceptions on the expectations and actual experiences of NMMU academic programme quality encounters. By following the methodological triangulation strategies, the validity of the findings is enhanced. The phenomenological dimension of the research was conducted according to guidelines as documented in secondary sources. The findings of the matched pair t-tests indicated that significant statistical differences do exist between the ‘expectations’ and ‘actual experiences’ of Chinese students’ perceived academic programme quality. Sufficient evidence is available at the 95 percent level of significance to support the hypothesis H1, namely: “There are differences between Chinese students’ ‘expected’ and ‘perceived’ academic programme quality (actual experience) of NMMU”. Besides the matched pair t-tests, further statistical analyses were performed by means of calculating Cohen’s ‘d’ values and relative percentage ratings to assess the magnitude of the “gap” between expectations and actual experiences of Chinese students studying at NMMU. The findings revealed that the Chinese students were not completely satisfied with their actual experiences when studying at NMMU. The above statistical findings were endorsed by the qualitative findings. Three sets of conclusions and recommendations were identified for this research. Firstly, conclusions emanating from secondary sources on service quality and students’ satisfaction literature were provided, such that students satisfaction is seen more as a psychological state which reveals an overall feeling of the students’ purchase and consumption experience. Secondly, the conclusions linked to the empirical findings revealed significant statistical differences between the expectations and perceptions (actual experiences) of Chinese students’ perceived academic programme quality. Finally, recommendations on relevant NMMU educational marketing objectives/ strategies can be grouped into four domains: - To build a customer-led education business which adheres to the principles of true marketing orientation with the focus on Chinese students. To achieve this objective a high level of understanding of Chinese students’ specific needs and wants when studying at NMMU is of utmost importance. The effective marketing positioning of NMMU can render leverage benefits to themselves and their clientele. - Findings from the biographic data analyses are significant to the positioning strategies and market segmentation strategies of NMMU. - The decision on a proper positioning strategy entails the choice of target market segments, which will determine where and how the education business competes and its choice of differential advantages. - The South African education providers should have appropriate educational brands to entice the Chinese students’ support.

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The purpose of the study was to develop a wellness model for teachers in addressing learning barriers for learners with hearing impairment. The study is underpinned by three theories, namely, the Linguistic Interdependence Theory, the Universal Design for Learning and the Wellness Theory to generate understanding of how learners with hearing impairment learn. Ethical standards were adhered to in terms of gaining permission for access, issues of informed consent, voluntary participation, and confidentiality. The study is premised on the pragmatism philosophy that favours a mixed method approach, using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis and interpretation of data. The mixed method is a multi-method, ensuring multiple angles in data collection, interpretation and analysis. Data collection and analysis were concurrent because data were collected and analysed as soon as the data were available. The study used a purposive sampling approach to select samples of educators who responded to the questionnaires and those who participated in the interviews. Three provinces and 11 schools were purposively selected because of their history of providing quality education to learners with hearing impairment. The researcher knew all the schools. One hundred deaf educators (86 female and 14 male) participated in answering a semi-structured, self-completion questionnaire. All respondents were school-based teachers of the deaf, teaching Grade R to seven. Eleven primary school educators were interviewed, consisting of eight women and three men. Concurrent data analysis was used to compare quantitative and qualitative data, which revealed that learners faced several wellness challenges. Most of the learners faced literacy challenges in reading, communication with the hearing and limited academic, social and career dimensions. Some positive strides were showing in the physical and spiritual wellness through health promotion and moral education. The study proposed an integrated wellness model integrating the three lenses. The following four themes emerged from the study. The first theme is that academic challenges are major barriers faced by learners with hearing impairments. The second theme noted that deaf learners faced communication challenges. The third theme indicated curriculum, adaptation, and multidisciplinary teams as factor where hearing-impaired needed support to address barriers to learning. The last theme called for more programmes to be introduced to address academic, career, and spiritual wellness. A wellness model was proposed to assist educators to address the academic, social, career, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness of the hearing-impaired learners / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)