published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This study compares formative assessment practices in primary mathematics classrooms in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Melbourne. Nine schools (three in each research location) were studied to examine the similarities in and differences between formative assessment practices for mathematics, and to identity underlying factors that may account for these similarities and differences. Videotaped classroom observations and face-to-face semi-structured teacher interview were the main data collection methods employed. The study identifies several similarities and differences in formative assessment practices by reviewing a total of 1140minutes of videotaped classroom observations (380 minutes from each city). Four similarities were noted: (a)a common structure of formative assessment practice; (b) providing feedback on what students had done well and what they needed to improve; (c) encouraging students to engage actively in the feedback process; and, (d) infrequent use of practical assessments. In addition, six differences were found: (a) interpreting, judging and suggesting on students’ work; (b) forms of assessment (including self and peer assessment); (c) assessment items; (d) effective feedback;(e) specific format for presenting mathematics; and, (f) ways of receiving feedback. Three key factors have been suggested to account for the similarities in and differences between formative assessment practices in primary mathematics classrooms in the three research locations: (a) cultural influences on mathematics learning and examinations; (b) assessment reform initiatives; and, (c) teachers’ conceptions about formative assessment. This study contributes to the understanding of formative assessment practices in the classrooms by proposing a theoretical framework for comparing formative assessment practices that takes into account cultural, social, school and classroom factors. Potential directions for future research are suggested, including further comparisons of mathematics formative assessment practices at other schools in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Melbourne, and in other countries with similar cultural backgrounds. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Text in Afrikaans / Relevante Geskiedenisonderrig in ajgelee gebiede: enkele onderrigstrategiee vir die intermediere ~kooljase is 'n didakties-pedagogiese ondersoek na die grondliggende redes waarom leerders geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak beleefnie. Vanuit hierdie kemprobleem is drie onderliggende subprobleme ge'identifiseer, naamlik: •:• Geskiedenis is nie 'n relevante skoolvak nie; •:• Intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede ervaar geskiedenis nie as 'n relevante skoolvak me, en •:• Die gebruik van die konvensionele onderrigmetodes in geskiedenisonderrig is onvoldoende om die relevansie van geskiedenis as 'n skoolvak vir leerders te verhoog. Die ontwikkeling van vernuwende onderrigstrategiee in geskiedenisonderrig vir intermediere leerders in ajgelee gebiede kan hulle dus help om die vakinhoud te verstaan, en tot lewenslange en gemotiveerde leerders en burgers te ontwikkel. Die hipotese kan dus aanvaar word dat die ontwikkeling van innoverende onderrigstrategiee die relevansie van geskiedenis vir die intermediere leerders in afgelee gebiede kan verhoog. / Relevant history instruction in isolated areas: Some teaching strategies for the intermediate school phase is a didactic pedagogical investigation into the basic reasons why learners at school do not experience history as a relevant school subject. From this core problem, three underlying sub-problems were identified, namely: •!• History is not a relevant school subject; •!• Intermediate learners in isolated areas do not experience history as a relevant school subject, and •!• The use of conventional teaching methods in history teaching is inadequate for increasing the relevance of history as a school subject for learners. The development of innovative teaching strategies in history instruction for intermediate learners in isolated areas can therefore enable them to understand history as a relevant school subject and to develop into permanent and motivated learners and citizens. We can therefore accept the hypothesis that the development of teaching strategies can increase the relevance of history teaching for intermediate learners at school in isolated areas. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

This investigation emanates from the realization that Grade 3 children at schools in disadvantaged areas perform poorly in basic mathematics computations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The aim of the research was to establish the approaches teachers use when teaching mathematics computation. The qualitative approach, together with the research techniques commonly used with it, namely observation, interviews and document analysis was deemed appropriate for the investigation. The outcomes of the investigation revealed that the multilingual Grade 3 classes made it difficult to assist all children who experienced mathematics problems because teachers could not speak all the other languages that were not the language of learning (LoLT) of the school. Another obstacle that prohibited teachers from spending adequate time with children with mathematics problems was the time teachers were expected to spend on intervention programmes from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) aimed at improving schooling in general. Teachers could not make additional time that could afford children the opportunity of individual attention. With regard to the approach used for teaching mathematics, this study established that the teachers used the whole class teaching approach which is not a recommended approach because each child learns differently. It is recommended that teachers use a variety of teaching methods in order to accommodate all children and also encourage children to use concrete objects. It is also recommended that teachers involved in the SBSTs should consist only of members qualified in the subject and once these children are identified, remediation should take place promptly by their being enrolled (children) in the proposed programme. Finally, this study could benefit foundation Phase teachers in teaching mathematics based on the proposed strategy outlined after teachers’ challenges were identified. The outcome of the study could also be of value to the DBE, especially with curriculum designers. / Early Childhood Education and Development / D. Ed. (Early Childhood Education)

The major purpose of the study was to determine whether science process achievement tests could be developed for administration to groups of primary grade students. Six Basic Science Process Tests (BSPT) were constructed as samples of the format proposed. Each BSPT was designed to assess one of the basic science processes taught in the first three parts of the 1967 edition of Science--A Process Approach (Sci-APA). The test items were projected 35 mm color slides with a tape recording which asked questions and controlled slide advancement. Pilot studies in kindergarten, and first and second grades with 320 students in Corvallis and Portland, Oregon during the spring of 1968 contributed to the development of general testing procedures and directions for training students to use BSPTs. Preliminary indications of item performance and time requirements were determined from administrations of groups of validated items to students just completing a year of Sci-APA study at the minimum expected grade levels. The sample BSPTs were assembled and synchronized for automatic administrations to students who had studied the 1967 edition of Sci-APA. Measuring and Classifying BSPTs were administered twice to classes of first, second and third graders in Park Falls, Phillips and Rhinelander, Wisconsin during September, 1968. The 850 students yielded more than 100 students who took each BSPT at the minimum expected grade level who had Sci-APA the previous year, and more than 100 students in the same grades who had no Sci-APA experience. Test-retest score pairs were correlated for each experience group to give reliability estimates for each BSPT. The major question was whether groups of primary grade students could be assessed with the tests developed concerning their science process achievements. The administrations of the standardized, synchronized BSPTs seemed acceptable with student groups. Two of the six BSPTs were accepted as reliable on the basis of test-retest correlations. Thus, it was concluded that successful educational measurement instruments can be constructed to assess science process achievement using this format. A second question considered whether there was a difference in BSPT results between students who had studied Sci.-APA for a year and those who had not. Three of the six BSPTs yielded significantly higher means for the Sci-APA trained groups. Both of the reliable BSPTs which assessed process achievements taught in Part A of Sci-APA produced significantly higher means for Sci-APA students. / Graduation date: 1970 / Supplemental material (tests, slides and audio tapes) can be accessed and used on-site at the Valley Library.

This thesis examines ways in which literacy practices are shaped by local norms in all-Irish immersion schools, as evidenced in storybook reading events in Irish and English. Within a sociocultural framing, the thesis takes as presuppositions that (i) reading is not a set of autonomous, transferable skills but is embedded in social settings; (ii) contexts and literacy practices co-emerge; (iii) children learn ways of being readers through participation in classroom literacy events; and (iv) language, literacy and identity are inextricably linked in all-Irish immersion programmes. In a classroom the teacher and pupils co-construct their own particular models, understandings, and definitions of literacy through their actions and the events they engage in. In the present study literacy is theorized as a performative accomplishment co-constructed by the participants in the event including those not directly present such as authors and illustrators. A micro-ethnographic case study approach was used to examine literacy practices in infant classes in all-Irish schools. Taking a phenomenological approach data were gathered using video-recording, observation, and pupil and teacher interviews and data were analysed using inductive analysis and interpretive discourse analysis. Key findings from the study are that (1) local norms, filtered through teachers' intentions and motivations, shaped the storybook reading events; (2) classroom literacy practices constructed during the Irish events were being transferred to the English events; and (3) children selected from their first and second language linguistic resources during storybook reading events to support their reading development. These three processes together were part of how children negotiated their socially situated identities as bilinguals and bilingual readers. Parental support for speaking Irish as well as social proximity to the Gaeltacht community, were factors closely associated with positive attitudes to speaking Irish and to reading in Irish. One implication of the findings is that teachers in all-Irish schools will need to make explicit their views of knowledge and of what it means to be a reader in an all-Irish school as they consider young children's agency in constructing their interpretations of texts.

"This study investigated whether there is a relationship between first grade children's ability to tell a story about a dynamic picture or a sequence of three dynamic pictures and their ability to describe the picture(s) by a number sequence. The artistic variables characterizing the pictures were controlled so as to provide information concerning which types of illustrations best facilitated interpretation of the pictures and perception of mathematical relationships. An 8 x 2 design allowed analysis of the effects of the form of the drawing, the number of pictures, and the response condition. Ninety-six first grade children were individually tested using an instrument designed by the investigator. Statistical analysis revealed that neither drawing style nor the number of pictures had a significant effect on either the level of assimilation within the stories, the perception of motion, or the number sentence responses. Analysis of the response condition revealed a significant difference favoring the force condition on number sentence responses. Also, initially viewing and interpreting sequences provided a learning experience to significantly effect the interpretation of single pictures"--Abstract. / Typescript. / "August, 1976." / "Submitted to the Area of Instructional Design and Personnel Development, Program of Mathematics Education, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy." / Advisor: Eugene D. Nichols, Professor Directing Dissertation. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-172).

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