There exists a consensus about the importance, but little else, of the ongoing professional education of teachers. The professional development of teachers is often seen by teachers to be a purely private matter serving self-improvement and/or career advancement. Equally often it is assumed to be essentially collegial concerned with improved school responses to redefined social expectations. Little is known about how, at the intersection of personal interactions and social necessities, truth is constructed by teachers about the significance of professional development exercises. This ontological research investigated the influence of the community of practice in signifying professional development of teachers' professional identity formation. It is a proximal influence that has been largely neglected in the literature on professional development. The case studies conducted here of science teachers in a rural secondary school initially assumed that certain types of autonomy and collegiality, together with differing workplace conditions have a more positive influence on teachers' professional development than others. The use of teacher portfolios in professional development reporting was investigated as institutional scaffolding for facilitating the sharing of insights from often remote professional development experiences, and as a means of improving communication within the science department.Positioning theory, as a tool in discursive psychology, was used to analyse professional development experiences as narrated by four colleagues in conversations with the author.

The purpose of this study was to examine the training and development of teachers in multi-grade teaching in selected Eastern Cape primary schools with a particular focus on the integration of vertical and horizontal knowledge in post-training. Multigrade teaching is the combining of learners of different grade levels in one classroom taught by one teacher. To gain better understanding of the construct of vertical and horizontal integration of knowledge within post-training environment, this qualitative case study design sampled eight teachers, four school principals and three trainers, purposively. In order to evaluate the training and development provided for teachers in multi-grade classrooms the researcher examined the training programmes, the training curriculum and transfer of training inputs. The results of the study indicate that post-training is the determinant of the extent of the effectiveness of the transfer of training skills, knowledge and attitudes gained in multi-grade teaching training. The study found a massive gap that currently exists between training in multi-grade teaching and the actual transferability of such training in multi-grade contexts. Positive transfer of training in multi-grade teaching strategies was found to be skills related to teaching strategies, lesson management, curriculum integration and social components of multi-grade teaching. Negative transfer of training included classroom organisation, lesson planning, timetabling, curriculum adaptation and assessment. Although multi-grade teacher training programme is assumed to change behaviours, attitudes, impart knowledge and improve teaching skills, the results of the study indicate that training inputs might not necessarily transform into classroom practice. In order to facilitate and ensure vertical and horizontal integration of knowledge and skills and transfer of training to classroombased teaching, recurrent training in multi-grade teaching is therefore, suggested.

This study was based upon a concern about the quality of education in South Africa and a concern about the quality of NGO and other INSET interventions. Many organisations purport to address the issues of education, most of them doing so from the very comfortable position of the moral high ground (the position adopted where the political - correctness of the intervention outweighs the quality and impact) rather than from the position of having the capacity to deliver a quality service (a position from which they can effect genuine educational transformation toward quality education for all). With the rapid social, political and educational changes taking place at present, it is necessary for most organisations to assess their positions in respect of their ability to effect quality changes within the broad educational terrain. This study is an attempt to investigate the influence of one particular programme, that of the Centre for Cognitive Development, as it effects changes in teacher cognitions. It is argued that teachers are the catalysts for and agents of educational and social change and that these changes require the thinking and beliefs of individual teachers which inform their practices and behaviours, both personally and as professionals, to be addressed. These beliefs need to be critically reflected upon by the teachers themselves and through this process of reflection, teachers need to be empowered to take responsibility for the quality of teaching and learning. This concern was addressed by selecting a sample of teachers from within one such INSET intervention and through the use of a questionnaire, investigating whether teachers cognitions had changed, as a result of the INSET programme. It was hypothesised that changes in teacher cognitions would occur as a result of the INSET programme and that these cognitive or gestalt shifts could be categorised as Attributional shifts, Efficacy shifts, shifts in teachers perceived Locus of Control (Control Beliefs) and changes in general Pedagogic Beliefs. The statistical analysis of the data indicated varying degrees and trends of significant change. However, the complexity of the social context of teaching and the impact of this on teacher beliefs and cognitions, especially those of teachers who have been most affected (disempowered) by social and personal oppression, cannot be under-estimated and even minor shifts reflected in this investigation should be seen as positive changes none-the-less.

A presente pesquisa, realizada no curso de Mestrado em Educação, pela Universidade de Caxias do Sul, no período de 2016 a 2018, desenvolveu seus estudos compreendendo a formação docente na modalidade de Educação a Distância, tendo como propósito analisar as estratégias que preconizassem a formação autônoma do sujeito. As análises foram ancoradas no referencial teórico proposto por Reuven Feuerstein e Paulo Freire, estabelecendo relações dessas teorias com o Projeto Político Pedagógico do curso de Pedagogia na Modalidade EaD, oferecido pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, credenciada na Universidade Aberta do Brasil, com o seu polo no município de Vila Flores, Rio Grande do Sul. Desenvolveu-se também um estudo de campo através de observações e questionário, durante um semestre do curso, com alunos, tutores e professores das disciplinas do Eixo V do curso acima citado. A problematização do objeto de estudo incide sobre: que estratégias de mediação na formação de professores de pedagogia, na modalidade EaD, potencializam a construção da aprendizagem e de um sujeito autônomo no processo de estruturação da docência? As reflexões estruturaram-se em analisar as estratégias de mediação na formação de professores na modalidade EaD, enfatizando o processo de construção da aprendizagem e de um sujeito autônomo. Para atender a esse objetivo maior, organizaram-se as etapas de acompanhamento, através da observação de um grupo de alunas do curso de pedagogia EaD, o processo de construção da aprendizagem, mediado por relações, recursos didáticos e tecnológicos, com o propósito de identificar estratégias de mediação responsáveis por potencializar a construção da aprendizagem e da autonomia na estruturação da docência. As análises direcionaram-se em identificar as estratégias de aprendizagem mediadas, entre mediador e mediado, que permitiram, no processo de construção do conhecimento, destacar marcas da estruturação da autonomia entre os sujeitos envolvidos numa perspectiva de relação com o outro, de forma responsável e ética. / Submitted by cmquadros@ucs.br (cmquadros@ucs.br) on 2018-03-29T17:57:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Valdete Gusberti Cortelini.pdf: 5320359 bytes, checksum: b2f81b1b7760b6a61c090f3f6127f7cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-29T17:57:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Valdete Gusberti Cortelini.pdf: 5320359 bytes, checksum: b2f81b1b7760b6a61c090f3f6127f7cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-29 / This research, realized in the course of Master’s Degree in Education, in the University of Caxias do Sul, in the period from 2016 to 2018, developed its studies including the teacher training in the modality Distance Education, having as purpose the identification of strategies that advocate the autonomous formation of subject. The analysis were based in the theoretical references proposed by Reuven Feuerstein and Paulo Freire, establishing relations between these theories and the Political Pedagogical Project of the course of Pedagogy, in the modality Distance Education, offered by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, accredited in the Open University of Brazil, with its campus in the city Vila Flores, Rio Grande do Sul. Was developed also a field study through observations and questionnaires, during a semester of course, with students, tutors and teachers of matters of Axis V of the course quoted about. The problematization of the object of study incide: what strategies in mediation of formation in teachers of pedagogy, in the modality Distance Education, potentiate the construction of learning and of an autonomous subject in the process of structuring of teaching? The reflections were structured in analyze the strategies of mediation in formation of teachers in Distance modality, emphasizing the process of construction of learning and of an autonomous subject. To attend this biggest objective, were organized the steps of monitoring, trough the observation of a group of students from the Distance Pedagogy Course, the process of construction of learning, mediated by relations, didactics and technological resources, with the purpose of identify strategies of mediation responsible for potentializate the construction of learning and autonomy in structuration of teaching. The analysis were directed to identify the strategies of learning mediated, between mediator and mediated, that allowed, in the process of construction of learning, highlight marks of structuration of autonomy among subjects involved in a perspective of relation with the other, in a form responsible and ethic.

A presente pesquisa, realizada no curso de Mestrado em Educação, pela Universidade de Caxias do Sul, no período de 2016 a 2018, desenvolveu seus estudos compreendendo a formação docente na modalidade de Educação a Distância, tendo como propósito analisar as estratégias que preconizassem a formação autônoma do sujeito. As análises foram ancoradas no referencial teórico proposto por Reuven Feuerstein e Paulo Freire, estabelecendo relações dessas teorias com o Projeto Político Pedagógico do curso de Pedagogia na Modalidade EaD, oferecido pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, credenciada na Universidade Aberta do Brasil, com o seu polo no município de Vila Flores, Rio Grande do Sul. Desenvolveu-se também um estudo de campo através de observações e questionário, durante um semestre do curso, com alunos, tutores e professores das disciplinas do Eixo V do curso acima citado. A problematização do objeto de estudo incide sobre: que estratégias de mediação na formação de professores de pedagogia, na modalidade EaD, potencializam a construção da aprendizagem e de um sujeito autônomo no processo de estruturação da docência? As reflexões estruturaram-se em analisar as estratégias de mediação na formação de professores na modalidade EaD, enfatizando o processo de construção da aprendizagem e de um sujeito autônomo. Para atender a esse objetivo maior, organizaram-se as etapas de acompanhamento, através da observação de um grupo de alunas do curso de pedagogia EaD, o processo de construção da aprendizagem, mediado por relações, recursos didáticos e tecnológicos, com o propósito de identificar estratégias de mediação responsáveis por potencializar a construção da aprendizagem e da autonomia na estruturação da docência. As análises direcionaram-se em identificar as estratégias de aprendizagem mediadas, entre mediador e mediado, que permitiram, no processo de construção do conhecimento, destacar marcas da estruturação da autonomia entre os sujeitos envolvidos numa perspectiva de relação com o outro, de forma responsável e ética. / This research, realized in the course of Master’s Degree in Education, in the University of Caxias do Sul, in the period from 2016 to 2018, developed its studies including the teacher training in the modality Distance Education, having as purpose the identification of strategies that advocate the autonomous formation of subject. The analysis were based in the theoretical references proposed by Reuven Feuerstein and Paulo Freire, establishing relations between these theories and the Political Pedagogical Project of the course of Pedagogy, in the modality Distance Education, offered by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, accredited in the Open University of Brazil, with its campus in the city Vila Flores, Rio Grande do Sul. Was developed also a field study through observations and questionnaires, during a semester of course, with students, tutors and teachers of matters of Axis V of the course quoted about. The problematization of the object of study incide: what strategies in mediation of formation in teachers of pedagogy, in the modality Distance Education, potentiate the construction of learning and of an autonomous subject in the process of structuring of teaching? The reflections were structured in analyze the strategies of mediation in formation of teachers in Distance modality, emphasizing the process of construction of learning and of an autonomous subject. To attend this biggest objective, were organized the steps of monitoring, trough the observation of a group of students from the Distance Pedagogy Course, the process of construction of learning, mediated by relations, didactics and technological resources, with the purpose of identify strategies of mediation responsible for potentializate the construction of learning and autonomy in structuration of teaching. The analysis were directed to identify the strategies of learning mediated, between mediator and mediated, that allowed, in the process of construction of learning, highlight marks of structuration of autonomy among subjects involved in a perspective of relation with the other, in a form responsible and ethic.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Media Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Teachers with expert knowledge or skills can exercise a leadership function as they use their knowledge or skills to help colleagues and to further the progress of the innovation knowledge and expertise. Although innovation could be well structured, teachers still need support in one or other form in order for effective implementation to take place. Barriers to the satisfactory implementation of innovation includes: the teachers' lack of curriculum-related knowledge, ineffective flow of communication between innovator and teacher and the state of facilities and equipment available to implement change. The way in which the innovation is to be introduced to the teachers who are to be involved with it are likely to have profound effects on the extent to which the innovation is successfully implemented. A number of ways have been suggested.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / The Namibian educational system is confronted with the problem of a high failure rate. By analysing the situation, the following come to light: * The schools previously under the jurisdiction of the administration of Whites,· Coloureds and the - Rehoboth Basters, have the best qualified teachers as well as a very high pass rate. * The schools who were previously under the jurisdiction of the administration of the Ovambos, - Hereros, - Damaras,- Kavangos,- Namas and - Tswanas, have a high concentration of underqualified and unqualified teachers. The very high failure rate in these areas can, to a certain extent, be attributed to this phenomenon. If it is taken into account that 64% of the school-going population are situated in these areas, the situation can be described as a disaster. In view of the above it seems that there is a definite correlation between the professional competence of the teacher and the performance of the pupils under his care. For this very important reason everything possible must be done to enable the teacher to execute his or her duties in a professional and competent manner. In this regard the subject advisors have a vital role to play. The present role of subject advisors should be changed. Subject advisors should reallocate their services into areas where it is most needed. Subject advisors should focus their attention to the general improvement of the pedagogical and methodological ability of serving teachers. This can be done by implementing an effective staff development program. In order to succeed such an in-service training program has to be carefully and systematically planned and executed in accordance with each teachers individual needs, skills and capabilities as well as his level of academic and professional development. To enable the subject advisor to assess the need of the teachers under his control he will have to establish a climate of trust so that the teachers shall feel free to ask for advice without the fear that their difficulties shall become further known. To succesfully execute their management task, subject advisors should have a thorough knowledge of the management task they must perform. It is therefore necessary that subject advisors should undergo practical and theoretical training in educational management. It is clear that the present role of subject advisors should be changed. There ,should be a marked shift in emphasis from the controlling and supervisory function to an advisory function. The emphasis should be on staff development...

M.Ed. / This research report investigates the experiences of teachers of the incorporation of Environmental Education (EE) into schools and the role of environmental clubs in facilitating it. The rationale for this study is based on finding solutions to existing environmental problems, conducted with an educational focus. Management of the environment will pass on to future generations, hence there is a responsibility for teachers to inculcate environmental awareness. The South African governments’ efforts, through the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS), to incorporate EE into the present curriculum is extensively outlined in numerous research reports. Its goal is to, ''seek to create a lifelong learner who is confident and independent, literate, numerate, and multi-skilled, compassionate, with a respect for the environment and the ability to participate in a society as a critical and active citizen'' (Department of Education, 2002:08). This study aimed to investigate the experiences of teachers in EE and its incorporation in the school curriculum. The second aim was to investigate how these perceptions may impact on their teaching and learning in the classroom. The final aim was to investigate whether the introduction of environmental clubs into school would cause a change to EE implementation in the classroom. Methodologically, this research project was located in the both the quantitative and qualitative paradigms, the participants having comprised teachers and Heads of Departments (HoDs), as well as principals from three schools in the dependent sector, namely government-based schools in the District 6 region in Gauteng province. The three schools were randomly selected to represent schools of varying financial status as well as of multi-racial contexts.