The aim of this thesis is to promote a dialogue about constructive alignment (Biggs, 1996) with a particular focus on the use of reflective writing as an assessed task in courses of teacher education and the influence it has, or does not have, on teacher reflection and/or in improving practice. The work is set against a national context in which time to reflect is being written out of teacher education as a consequence of policy which locates ‘training’ to teach increasingly within the busy-ness of school life. Persuaded by principles of constructive alignment and, therefore, troubled by student teachers’ perceptions of complex assignments which appear to have little relevance to their practice as teachers, I have undertaken an action research study (McAteer, 2013; Norton, 2009; and Wells, 2001), beginning with a conviction that it is possible to design assessment tasks which truly integrate professional and academic requirements and influence the learning activity of student teachers in ways which are meaningful for their development as teachers. Using an adaptation of the Ward and McCotter (2004) ‘Reflection Rubric’ to locate characteristics of reflection within the reflective writing submitted for assessment, the study evaluated the relationship between written reflection and academic and professional attainment and found little evidence that engagement in the reflective writing assignment had contributed to the participants’ development as teachers. I conclude that the assessment strategies of students and of the course had been either not aligned or destructively aligned. The thesis narrates my journey to the adoption of a socio-constructivist perspective, leading to greater insight into the relationship between established assessment practice and the learning activity of student teachers, and a questioning of my practice. Crucially, the notion of a ‘framework for assessment’ is broadened to encompass all assignment-related activity, the people involved and the timeframe, in addition to the task and criteria. I conclude by identifying a desire to know more about the national view of assessment in teacher education, seeking a network of colleagues in order to explore ways in which counterparts in other institutions are supporting student teachers to develop reflective practice and assess reflective writing.

A presente tese se propôs a fazer um estudo histórico de como historiograficamente ocorreu a formação dos professores no contexto da Universidade Estadual do Piauí nas cidades de Parnaíba, Picos e Floriano, a partir do período da expansão e interiorização de cursos de graduação em Licenciatura Plena em Educação Física na modalidade Regime Especial, no período de 1998 a 2006, para atender a professores Leigos, aprovados em processo vestibular atendendo à legislação do plano decenal normatizada através da LDB 9394/96 e lei do Fundef (9424/96). Com o objetivo de conhecer a história da formação de professores de Educação Física na modalidade Regime Especial pela Uespi, investiga-se o processo de expansão e interiorização, caracteriza-se o perfil dos docentes egressos e analisa-se a perspectiva histórica dessa formação. A Uespi possibilitou aos piauienses a ampliação de conhecimentos científicos acadêmicos, favorecendo, assim, à democratização e valorização do ensino e dos profissionais da educação no Piauí. Metodologicamente, esta tese constituiu-se uma pesquisa qualitativa, por meio da estratégia de produção de dados e aplicação de questionário a 56 sujeitos, entrevista semiestruturada de profundidade com 27 sujeitos e análise através da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo (BARDIN, 2016). Os sujeitos se formaram em Educação Física no Regime Especial graduação oferecida pela Universidade Estadual do Piauí no período de férias em serviço de 1998 a 2006. Na conclusão dessa pesquisa, pretendeu-se mostrar que o regime especial, enquanto modalidade formativa, estruturada como curso superior, em nível de graduação, na modalidade Licenciatura Plena, não se constituiu como opção mais adequada para proporcionar uma boa formação aos professores de Educação Física em exercício na escola pública do Piauí, respectivamentes nas cidades de Parnaíba, Picos e Floriano, tendo visto que o modelo formativo proposto e desenvolvido pela Uespi apresentava muitos limites no que se refere aos aspectos estruturais e poucas possibilidades referente à formação a partir da imposição da lei, assim como levando em conta o tempo para a realização da formação, o espaço e as experiências vivenciadas pelos docentes nas diferentes cidades que adotamos para se analisar a formação docente em cursos desta natureza. Ressalta-se que a contribuição deste trabalho pode ter seus limites, entretanto a explicitação das intervenções externas das políticas de formação de professores e seus desdobramentos na prática dos alunos-professores busca evidenciar não só submissão aos apelos do neoliberalismo, presente naquele momento político que vivia o Brasil, especialmente o Piauí, mas também conhecer a relevância naquele momento histórico da presença da Universidade Estadual do Piauí no processo de formação de professores de Educação Física em Regime Especial. / The present thesis has proposed to make a historical study of how historiographically occurred the formation of teachers in the context of the State University of Piauí in the cities of Parnaíba, Picos and Floriano, from the period of expansion and make internally the undergraduate courses in full degree in Physical Education in the Special Regime modality, from 1998 to 2006, to attend lay teachers, approved in the entrance exam process in compliance with the legislation of the decennial plan normalized through LDB 9394/96 and Fundef\'s law (9424/96). With the objective of knowing the history of Physical Education teachers training in the Special Regime modality by Uespi, it investigates the process of expansion and internalization, characterize the profile of the egressed teachers and analyze in historical perspective of this formation. Uespi enabled people from Piauí to expand academic scientific knowledge, thus favoring the democratization and enhancement of education and education professionals in Piauí. Methodologically, this thesis was constituted in a qualitative research which goes through the strategy of data production application of questionnaire to 56 subjects and semi-structured interview of depth with 27 subjects and analysis through the technique of Content Analysis (Bardin, 2016). They graduated in Physical Education in the Special Regime undergraduate offered by the State University of Piauí in the period of vacation in in-service training from 1998 to 2006. In conclusion for this research, it was intended to show that the special regime as a formative modality, structured as a college course, at the graduation level, was not a more adequate option to provide a good training to Physical Education teachers in the public school of Piauí, respectively in the cities of Parnaíba, Picos and Floriano, the training model proposed and developed by Uespi, presented few limits regarding the structural aspects and many possibilities related to the formation from the imposition of the law, as well as according the time for the realization of the training, the space and the experiences lived by the teachers in the different cities that we chose to analyze the teacher training in courses of this nature. It should be emphasized that the contribution of this work can have its limits, however, the explicit external interventions of teacher education policies and their development process in the studentteacher practice, searches not only to submit to the appeals of neoliberalism, present at that political moment who lived in Brazil, especially in Piauí, but also to know the relevance in that historical moment of the presence of the State University of Piauí in the process of training Physical Education Teachers in Special Regime.

Estudos têm mostrado que pode haver um grande distanciamento entre a forma como a sociedade compreende o trabalho da ciência e o modo como esse se realiza. Desse modo, as pessoas, incluindo professores e alunos, têm visões limitadas, ingênuas e confusas sobre o que é a ciência e o conhecimento científico, o que compromete o ensino de ciências. Uma área científica na qual essas discussões podem ser particularmente relevantes é a ecologia, que tem sido historicamente confundida com outros campos. Autores apontam que os professores têm dificuldade de ensinar essa disciplina e que isso pode estar atrelado à falta de compreensão desses profissionais sobre como a ecologia produz conhecimento. Pensando nisso, esse projeto de pesquisa teve como objetivo: identificar como professores compreendem a natureza da ecologia e analisar se e como essas compreensões epistêmicas estão relacionadas a abordagens usadas no ensino dessa disciplina. Para identificar as concepções epistêmicas, elaboramos questionários fechados (do tipo Likert) e abertos e enviamos a 80 professores da educação básica (todos formados em biologia). Tratamos os dados provenientes dos questionários Likert por meio da análise fatorial e análise de agrupamento (cluster) com o auxílio do software R. Com essas análises, validamos estatisticamente os instrumentos e mapeamos perfis de concepções epistêmicas entre os respondentes. Para as questões dissertativas usamos a análise lexical (computacional) do software Alceste complementada por uma análise de conteúdo clássica (manual). Para analisar abordagens usadas no ensino de ecologia, selecionamos, a partir da nossa amostra inicial de respondentes (n=80), duas professoras que demonstraram concepções epistêmicas distintas ao responderem os questionários. Então, por meio de entrevistas e filmagens, caracterizamos o processo de cognição epistêmica dessas professoras ao planejarem uma sequência didática de ecologia e executarem-na com as suas respectivas turmas de alunos. Nossos resultados sugerem que muitos professores possuem uma visão limitada sobre a ciência ecologia, entendendo, por exemplo, que essa ciência não é capaz de produzir conhecimento de modo similar a outras ciências naturais por ela ter uma natureza holística, descritiva, qualitativa e entendendo que o trabalho dos ecólogos é realizar o manejo (e não apenas o estudo) do meio ambiente. Quanto ao ensino de ecologia, muitos professores parecem confundi-lo com educação ambiental. Sobre a relação entre as concepções/cognições epistêmicas das duas professoras investigadas e suas abordagens para ensinar ecologia, percebemos que a professora que mostrou uma cognição epistêmica melhor informada sobre a natureza da ecologia foi aquela que efetivamente executou uma abordagem alinhada com os pressupostos do ensino por investigação, enquanto a outra professora, que demonstrou uma cognição não-informada, não conseguiu implementar uma abordagem de ensino investigativo. A partir dos resultados encontrados, concluímos que os aspectos epistêmicos estudados na presente pesquisa podem realmente configurar-se como obstáculos ao ensino de ecologia e que os cursos de formação de professores de ciências naturais precisam formar profissionais com compreensões epistêmicas mais sofisticadas sobre as ciências que irão ensinar, para que esses sejam mais críticos e reflexivos no momento de planejar, executar e avaliar suas práticas pedagógicas, e possam realmente superar o ensino tradicional e promover abordagens mais significativas e mais condizentes com a alfabetização científica dos alunos. / Studies have shown that there is a gap between how society understands the doing science and how science actually works. Many people, including teachers and students, may have limited, naïve and confused views about what is science and scientific knowledge, and this can affect the science teaching. These discussions are particularly relevant in ecology, since this specific scientific area has historically been confused with other fields. Authors point out that teachers have difficulty teaching this discipline and that this may be related to their lack of understanding of how ecology produces knowledge. Thus, this research aimed to identify how teachers understand the nature of ecology, and to analyze if and how these epistemic understandings are related to approaches to teaching ecology. In order to identify the epistemic beliefs, we elaborated closed (Likert-type) and open questionnaires and sent to 80 teachers of basic education (all graduated in biology). Data from the Likert questionnaires were treated using factor analysis and cluster analysis in the R software package. These statistical analyses allowed validating the questionnaires and mapping profiles of epistemic beliefs among the respondents. For the open answers (qualitative data) we used lexical (computational) analysis of Alceste software complemented by classical (manual) content analysis. In order to analyze approaches used in teaching ecology, we selected, from our initial sample of respondents (n = 80), two teachers who demonstrated different epistemic beliefs when answering the questionnaires. Then, through interviews and filming, we characterized the epistemic cognition of these teachers during the planning and application of a didactic sequence of ecology. Our results suggest that many teachers have a limited view of ecology science, understanding, for example, that this area is not able to produce knowledge in a similar way to other natural sciences because of its holistic, descriptive, and qualitative nature, and understanding that the work of ecologists is to manage (and not only study) the environment. And about teaching ecology, many teachers seem to confuse it with environmental education. On the relation between the epistemic beliefs and cognitions of the two investigated teachers and their approaches to teaching ecology, we observed that the teacher who showed a more informed epistemic cognition was the one who effectively performed an approach aligned with the assumptions of teaching by inquiry, while the other teacher, who demonstrated an uninformed cognition, was unable to implement an investigative teaching approach. We conclude that the epistemic aspects studied in the present research may constitute obstacles to teaching ecology and that the teachers training courses need to train professionals with more sophisticated epistemic understandings about the natural sciences (including ecology). Teachers need to be more critical and reflexive when planning, executing and evaluating their pedagogical practices, and need to be able to overcome the traditional teaching and promote approaches aligned with the studentsscientific literacy.

A presente investigação de natureza qualitativa (BOGDAN; BIKLEN,1999) refere-se a um estudo de caso único (YIN, 2005; STAKE, 2011), realizada em uma creche municipal de São Bernardo do Campo, tendo como objeto de estudo o brincar dos bebês no contexto coletivo. A suposição básica orientadora da pesquisa é a definição do brincar como ação primordial dos bebês, que pode ser qualificada no âmbito das interações e de adultos sensíveis defensores da brincadeira como um dos eixos do currículo na educação infantil, nos termos das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a Educação Infantil (BRASIL, 2010). Partiu-se dos questionamentos: Quais teorias e crenças estão presentes nos discursos das gestoras e educadoras referentes ao brincar dos bebês? As ações praticadas nos berçários explicitam os conhecimentos e, portanto, a perspectiva pedagógica que sustenta a forma como se concebem as condições do brincar dos bebês no berçário? Como é possível reconhecer a presença dos conhecimentos convocados pelas educadoras em suas práticas nos processos de formação contínua que ocorrem no interior da creche? A base teórico-argumentativa da pesquisa encontra-se nos conceitos de pedagogias participativas e de pedagogias explícitas de Oliveira-Formosinho e Formosinho (2007, 2016) para discutir homologamente a educação de crianças e de professores da educação infantil e nas formulações relativas ao brincar depreendidas da proposta pedagógica de Elinor Goldschmied e Jackson (2006; MAJEM, ÒDENA, 2011), criadoras do cesto dos tesouros e do jogo heurístico, além da pedagogia do brincar livre amplamente relacionada à Abordagem Pikler (2010, FALK, 2011; SOARES, 2017a, BALOG, 2017), em diálogo com as teorizações de Kishimoto (1993, 2011, 2012) e Rossetti-Ferreira (2004, 2006). Recorreu-se à análise documental; à observação do cotidiano de duas turmas de berçário; ao acompanhamento de momentos formativos da unidade e às entrevistas semiestruturadas, envolvendo três gestoras, quatro professoras e três auxiliares em educação. O estudo empírico estendeu-se de fevereiro a novembro de 2017. As conclusões do estudo sugerem que no planejamento e concretização das brincadeiras dos bebês nos berçários, as professoras e auxiliares em educação convocam conhecimentos implícitos construídos em suas experiências como alunas e no seio familiar, nas interações com seus pares na creche e a partir de práticas difundidas na própria Rede Municipal de Educação, acomodadas sob uma pedagogia transmissiva. Contudo, nos discursos dessas profissionais identificaramse características de pedagogias participativas, primordialmente depreendidas da formação contínua, em serviço realizada na creche coordenada pelas gestoras. / This qualitative research (BOGDAN; BIKLEN, 1999) refers to a single case study (YIN, 2005; STAKE, 2011) made in a municipal nursery in São Bernardo do Campo, taking the babies play in a collective context as its object of study. The basic assumption of the research´s leader is the concept of playing as babies prime action, which can be labeled with in the scope of interactions and sensitive adults who defend play as one of the foundations of the early child education curriculum, in the terms of National Curricular Guidelines of early childhood education (BRASIL, 2010). It started from the questions: which theories and beliefs are present in the managers and educators speeches referring to the babies play? Do the actions practiced in nurseries explicit the knowledge and, therefore, the pedagogic perspective which supports the way how babies ´playing conditions in nurseries are conceived? Is it possible to meet the knowledge called upon by educators when working with the continuous formation process which happens in a nursery? This research´s theorical-argumentative foundations are the concepts of OliveiraFormosinho´s and Formosinho´s (2007; 2016) participative pedagogies and explicit pedagogies proposal made by Elinor Goldschmied and Jackson 2006; MAJEM. ÒDENA, 2011), creators of the treasure basket and heuristic play; the free play pedagogy, widely related to the Pikler Approach (2010; FALK, 2011; SOARES, 2017a; BALOG, 2017), in dialogue with Kishimoto´s (1993, 2010, 2011, 2012) and Rossetti-Ferreira´s (2004,2006) theorizing. The investigation resorted to documental analysis, observation of two nursery classes day-to-day, monitoring of formative moments in the nursery and semi structured interviews involving three nursery managers, four teachers and three education assistants. The empiric study happened between February 2017 and November 2017. The study conclusions suggest that, in babies play planning and substantiation at nurseries, teachers and education assistants call upon implicit knowledge generated in their experience as students and in their families; in the interaction with their partners at the nursery and in the practices spread in the municipal education network, which are based on transmissive pedagogies. Nevertheless, in these professionals´ speeches, some participative pedagogies features were identified, which were primarily learned by them at continuous formation moments coordinated by the nursery managers.

Orientador: Paulo Rennes Marçal Ribeiro / Banca: Maria Isabel Chagas / Banca: Maria Cristina de Senzi Zancul / Resumo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo investigar, a partir do recorte de gênero, as concepções de sexualidade de um grupo de alunas do curso de pedagogia que já atuam na educação escolar como professoras, considerando as mediações e intervenções desse curso na idéia que fazem de sexualidade e como esse conceito adquire formato na prática pedagógica dessas professoras. Para a realização da pesquisa qualitativa, de tipologia analítico-descritiva, foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos metodológicos: a descrição dos programas das disciplinas que compõem o currículo do curso de pedagogia e a realização de entrevista semi-estruturada com as universitárias escolhidas. A construção e a análise do objeto têm como fundamentação teórica os estudos de Michel Foucault, Joan Scott e Guacira Lopes Louro. Portanto, na utilização dos recursos teóricos e metodológicos, constatamos que a formação das professoras analisadas carece de disciplinas e discussões voltadas para a sexualidade e questões de gênero. A falta de subsídios teóricos e pedagógicos para o trabalho com tais temas na escola torna-se um problema para essas futuras profissionais da educação, uma vez que esses assuntos aparecem com freqüência em suas salas de aula. É neste contexto que as referidas professoras possuem duas atitudes diante das manifestações de sexualidade e relações de gênero dos (as) alunos (as): não enfrentam ou se optam pelo desafio de orientar sexualmente, tratam essas temáticas pela perspectiva biológica, discutindo-as nas aulas de ciências e fazendo uso do ensinamento de preceitos morais, estipulando o que consideram "certo" e/ou "errado" à vivência sexual e de gênero de cada sujeito. / Abstract: The aim of this work is to investigate, focusing on gender, the conceptions of sexuality of a group of students of Pedagogy Course which act already in the school education as teachers, considering the mediations and interventions of that course in the idea that they do of sexuality and as that concept he/she acquires format in practice pedagogic of those teachers. For the accomplishment of this qualitative research, sort of analytical-descriptive typology, the following methodological instruments were used: the description of the programs of the disciplines which compose the curriculum of the pedagogy course and the interview accomplishment semi-structured with the chosen university students. The construction and analysis of subject has as theoretical basement the studies of Michel Foucault, Joan Scott and Guacira Lopes Louro. Therefore, when using these theoretical and methodological tools, we noticed that formation of these teachers necessitate disciplines and discussions focused in sexuality and questions of gender. The lack of theoretical and pedagogical subsidies for work these themes in school become a problem for these future school professionals, once these subjects appears frequently in their classrooms. In this context, these teachers have two attitudes before the manifestation of sexuality and gender relations of their pupils: they don't face or when they choose for the challenge of guiding sexually, they treat those themes for the biological perspective, discussing them in the classes of sciences and making use of the teaching of moral precepts, stipulating what they consider "wrong" and/or "right" to sexual and gender experiences of each individual. / Mestre

The purpose of this study was to contrast how teachers assign grades with how parents, teachers, and students interpret grades. The investigation, therefore, identified discrepancies between how high school teachers assign grades and how parents and students interpret grades. In addition to discrepancies, this investigation described consequences for students when discrepancies exist, and obstacles to removing these discrepancies. / A case study approach was used in this investigation. It was anticipated, that to successfully use a case study methodology, a linkage must exist between all elements being investigated. Therefore, six high school students were selected along with one of their parents, and their Language Arts and Mathematics teachers. / The findings indicated that a discrepancy exists between how teachers assign grades and how parents interpret grades. A discrepancy does not exist between how teachers assign grades and how students interpret grades. The discrepancies appear to occur because the grading system is not communicated to parents by teachers or students. The expected consequence for students is that their parents misinterpret their performance in school. If grades do not measure what parents perceive they measure, wrong decisions are made. / This case study investigation had three limitations. First, subjective views of the researcher can influence the way information is gathered, recorded, analyzed, and interpreted. Second, these findings can only be generalized to the defined setting. Third, several audiences who interpret and use grades were not included in this study. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-10, Section: A, page: 3503. / Major Professor: Albert C. Oosterhof. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Orientador: Jair Lopes Júnior / Banca: Ana Maria de Andrade Caldeira / Banca: Denise de Freitas / Banca: Renato Eugênio da Silva Diniz / Banca: Sérgio Vasconcelos de Luna / Resumo: O presente estudo buscou verificar se um conjunto planejado de interações, mediado pela literatura da Análise do Comportamento/Behaviorismo Radical (AC/BR), entre pesquisador e professores participantes poderia constituir-se condição favorecedora para a aprendizagem de recursos metodológicos que priorizassem o alcance de metas e orientações previstas oficialmente para o Ensino de Ciências. Nos últimos vinte e cinco anos, a Análise do Comportamento buscou, como orientação teórica, cientificamente, investigar, induzir e propagar a necessidade de avanços em modalidade de recursos metodológicos de interpretações funcionais de repertórios comportamentais relevantes em contextos clínicos e escolares. Um recurso de destaque neste estudo, em relação ao seu potencial e refinamento metodológico, é a Avaliação Funcional Descritiva (AFD), que contou com uma sequência onde foi possível registrar e priorizar propostas de intervenção no próprio ambiente de trabalho docente, durante a rotina das aulas. Evidencia-se a necessidade da produção e aquisição de conhecimentos profissionais docentes com diferentes modalidades de licenciaturas (Pedagogia e Ciências Biológics, neste caso), objetivamente pela formação continuada de professores em serviço, de recursos metodológicos que objetivem a compreensão de interpretações funcionais de interações professor-aluno em sala de aula. A metodologia de pesquisa adotada foi a Pesquisa Qualitativa na Modalidade de Delineamento de Estudo de Caso Único (single case design), N=1 e/ou sujeito como seu próprio controle. O conjunto planejado de interações sugerem que existe inabilidade de as docentes viuncularem dificuldades de aprendizagem nos repertórios dos alunos; diante de condições de ensino que eles deveriam manifestar os comportamentos esperados. Após o contato com os vídeos dos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study to determine whether a planned set of interaction mediated by Behavior Analysis/Radical Behaviorism Literature between researcher and teachers could become a condition for favoring the learning of methodological resources to prioritize the scope of goals and guidelines laid down officially for the Teaching of Science. Over the past twenty-five years, the Behavioral Analysis sought, as theoretical orientation, scientifically, researching, inducing and propagating the need for advances in methodological resources mode for functional interpretations of relevant behavioral repertoires in clinical setting and schools. A prominent feature of this study in relation to their potential and refinement is the Descriptive Functional Assessment, which included a sequence becoming possible to record and prioritize proposal for intervention in the teaching environment during routine classes. This study highlights the need for production and acquisition of professional knowledge teachers whit different degrees (Pedagogy and Natural Sciences, in this case), objectively the continuing education of teachers in service, methodological resources that aim to understand interpretations of professor - student functional interactions in the classroom. The adopted research methodology was the Qualitative Research Prize in Design of Case study One (single case design), N = 1 and / or subject as its own control. The planned set of interactions suggest that there is an inability to commit teaching learning difficulties in students' repertoires, under conditions of education that they should express expected behaviors. After the contact with the videos of episodes of education defined in this study, the teachers report was: (a) recurrence of verbal behavior devoid of functions that provid information on their teaching repertoire, (b) no distinction between teaching... (Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Doutor

Research that examines the effects of noncognitive variables in the area of academic performance for Black American students is receiving increasing attention. There is growing awareness that academic performance is more than just a function of academic ability. Noncognitive variables have been found to relate to the academic performance of Black American students and are equally as important as the traditional cognitive variables of SAT scores and high school GPA. / The subjects for this research were comprised of one hundred and fifty-nine Black American students in a model teacher education preparation program, Teacher Education for America's Minorities. T.E.A.M. is a consortium of seven southeastern colleges and universities, funded by the Ford Foundation to increase the number of minority graduates out of teacher preparation programs and to institute curricular changes at the institutional level. Thirty-nine and eight tenths percent of the T.E.A.M. population are from historically black institutions and the other 60.2% are from predominantly white institutions representing 5 public universities and 2 private colleges. / Data collection included an SAT total score or a converted ACT composite score as the control variable and five of the eight noncognitive variables identified by Sedlacek & Brooks in 1976 in reviewing the noncognitive predictor studies for minorities. The five predictor variables were: positive self concept, realistic self appraisal, availability of a strong support person, understanding and dealing with racism, and knowledge acquired in a field. Cumulative grade point average, obtained from the last transcript available at the end of the study was used as the criterion variable. / A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to test the first hypothesis of this study. A two group t-test with a Bonferroni adjustment for a possible family-wise error rate was used to test the second hypothesis. Both hypotheses were found to be significant for positive self concept. The results of this research were consistent with previous findings using the Noncognitive Questionnaire. This research found evidence to support the existing research on noncognitive variables and academic performance for Black American students. The relationship between the five selected noncognitive variables and academic performance was found to be statistically significant and a prediction equation was developed. These findings lend themselves to several future research implications using subsets of the original eight noncognitive factors identified by Sedlacek et al., (1976) for prediction and to explain how academic performance behavior is defined for Black American students. These findings may also be useful in advising for academic support services. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-12, Section: A, page: 3814. / Major Professor: James P. Sampson, Jr. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understandings and meanings of ethnicity as constructed by preservice teachers within the context of a semester-long, junior level, multicultural education course and to develop grounded theory. The participants in the study included the researcher and 59 preservice teachers. / The methods implemented in this naturalistic, interpretive study included the collection of qualitative data through participant observation, audiotaping of selected class meetings, and document analysis of dialogue journals, reader response journals, and modified case studies of elementary school children. The theoretical framework consisted of constructivism (Von Glasersfeld), multicultural theory (Banks), critical pedagogy (McLaren), and transactional reader response theory (Rosenblatt). / The research questions that guided the development of this study were: (1) What understandings of ethnicity do preservice teachers bring with them to the course? (2) How do preservice teachers construct their understandings of ethnicity? (3) How do preservice teachers make meaning from course-related experiences and other identifiable experiences relating to ethnicity? (4) How do preservice teachers think that their beliefs about ethnicity will influence them in their roles as teachers? / Through inductive analysis three themes emerged: Responding, Understanding, and Envisioning. Responding addresses the preservice teachers' transaction with children's and adult's literature as a validation of their prior experiences, pre-existing beliefs, and personal value systems. Understanding and Envisioning presents a continuum of stages of belief of ascribed ethnicity. The continuum describes stages from Denying Differences to Accepting Differences to Valuing Differences. / It demonstrates a need for teacher educators to assist preservice teachers' understanding that multicultural education is not simply curriculum content, but it includes teaching for equity and the reduction of racism. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: A, page: 3028. / Major Professor: Kathryn P. Scott. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

A presente pesquisa discute os trabalhos de campo da semana de recepção de calouros, no Instituto de Geociências da USP, em dois momentos. O primeiro entre os anos de 1978 e 1982 organizados pelos alunos do bacharelado em Geologia, integrantes do Centro Paulista de Estudos Geológicos CEPEGE. O segundo momento para os alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Geociências e Educação Ambiental LiGEA, entre os anos de 2005 a 2012. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é compreender como estas atividades contribuíram e continuam contribuindo com o processo de institucionalização da área de Pesquisa e Ensino em Geociências. Institucionalização é compreendida por nós não só como a criação de uma estrutura física, com normas, regulamentos, leis e estatuto, mas sim em um sentido mais amplo, incluindo, também, comportamentos que materializam valores em um determinado grupo social. Ao longo da pesquisa percebemos que estas atividades introdutórias, cada uma em seu contexto, estão impregnadas de valores e concepções metodológicas, pedagógicas e científicas. Para realizarmos a análise segundo estas dimensões, utilizamos diversas técnicas de coleta de dados como entrevistas, observação participante, anotações e pesquisa em arquivo documental. Assim, procuramos compreender a forma como estes trabalhos de campo foram organizados, utilizando um olhar multidimensional, compreendendo os contextos históricos e concepções educacionais, relacionando com discussões epistemológicas da área. A metodologia de análise de dados foi a Análise Textual Discursiva. Foi possível observar que os trabalhos de campo, tanto do CEPEGE, como da LiGEA, refletem aspectos pedagógicos, processuais de institucionalização e de formação científica, subjetiva e afetiva dos participantes. / This study discusses the field work for the week of receiption of freshmen at the Geosciences Institute of USP, on two occasions. The first between 1978 and 1982 organized by the students of the bachelor\'s degree in geology, members of the Central Geological Survey Paulista - CEPEGE. The second moment for the students of the Bachelor\'s Degree in Geosciences and Environmental Education - LiGEA, between the years 2005 to 2012. The main objective of this study is to understand how these activities contributed and still contribute to the process of institutionalization of the area of Research and Education in Geosciences. Institutionalization is understood by us as not only the creation of a physical structure, with rules, regulations, laws and statutes, but in a broader sense, including also behaviors that embody values in a particular social group. During the research we realized that these introductory activities, each in its context, are imbued with values and methodological conceptions, educational and scientific. To carry out the analysis along these dimensions we use various techniques of data collection such as interviews, participant observation, research notes and document archive. So we try to understand how this field works were organized, using a multidimensional look, understanding the historical contexts and educational concepts, epistemological discussions relating to the area. The methodology of data analysis was the Textual Discourse Analysis. It was observed that the field work, both CEPEGE as the LiGEA reflect pedagogical aspects, procedural institutionalization and scientific training, participants\' subjective and emotional.