This study was undertaken in an attempt to determine the degree to which second year Mathematics education students consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes to be important and to develop a curriculum-based mediational approach based on the data, to encourage the critical thinking dispositions and attitudes that appeared to be in need of encouragement. A literature study was undertaken to determine the positive critical thinking dispositions and attitudes students should possess. In addition it was also determined which teaching learning approaches will benefit the development of critical thinking dispositions and attitudes the most. The advantages as well as the processes and components that should form part of the mediational approach for the development of critical thinking dispositions were examined. A two-phase, sequential, explanatory mixed method study was subsequently undertaken with second-year Mathematics students at a South African university. The quantitative study made use of a self-developed questionnaire to determine the degree to which students consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes important. Data emanating from the questionnaires were analysed and questions that had to be answered in narrative format were set for each student according to their own responses on the questionnaire. Narratives formed part of the qualitative component of the study in which students had to indicate factors that influence their critical thinking dispositions and attitudes, what could be done to improve the apparent unimportant critical thinking dispositions and attitudes and whether they regard the critical thinking dispositions and attitudes as important. Narratives were analysed and the results were used to explain the quantitative data. Results revealed that second year Mathematics education students do not consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes, in particular inquisitiveness but also judiciousness, open-mindedness, systematicity, truth-seeking, analyticity and confidence in critical thinking to be very important and therefore these critical thinking dispositions and attitudes appeared to require encouragement. A curriculum-based mediational approach based on a section in the existing Mathematics module for second year education students was developed in order to encourage critical thinking dispositions in Mathematics. The study concluded with recommendations to encourage critical thinking dispositions and attitudes as well as proposals for future studies. / PhD, Education, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

This study was undertaken in an attempt to determine the degree to which second year Mathematics education students consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes to be important and to develop a curriculum-based mediational approach based on the data, to encourage the critical thinking dispositions and attitudes that appeared to be in need of encouragement. A literature study was undertaken to determine the positive critical thinking dispositions and attitudes students should possess. In addition it was also determined which teaching learning approaches will benefit the development of critical thinking dispositions and attitudes the most. The advantages as well as the processes and components that should form part of the mediational approach for the development of critical thinking dispositions were examined. A two-phase, sequential, explanatory mixed method study was subsequently undertaken with second-year Mathematics students at a South African university. The quantitative study made use of a self-developed questionnaire to determine the degree to which students consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes important. Data emanating from the questionnaires were analysed and questions that had to be answered in narrative format were set for each student according to their own responses on the questionnaire. Narratives formed part of the qualitative component of the study in which students had to indicate factors that influence their critical thinking dispositions and attitudes, what could be done to improve the apparent unimportant critical thinking dispositions and attitudes and whether they regard the critical thinking dispositions and attitudes as important. Narratives were analysed and the results were used to explain the quantitative data. Results revealed that second year Mathematics education students do not consider critical thinking dispositions and attitudes, in particular inquisitiveness but also judiciousness, open-mindedness, systematicity, truth-seeking, analyticity and confidence in critical thinking to be very important and therefore these critical thinking dispositions and attitudes appeared to require encouragement. A curriculum-based mediational approach based on a section in the existing Mathematics module for second year education students was developed in order to encourage critical thinking dispositions in Mathematics. The study concluded with recommendations to encourage critical thinking dispositions and attitudes as well as proposals for future studies. / PhD, Education, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Orientador: Ana Mariza Benedetti / Banca: Heliana Ribeiro de Mello / Banca: Maria Helena Vieira-Abrahão / Resumo: A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo observar a concepção de ensino da gramática de uma professora de LI e de seus alunos em um contexto de ensino fundamental de escola pública bem como analisar como as crenças dos participantes com relação à gramática (BARCELOS, 1995, 2001, 2006; NUNAN, 1998, 1999; LARSEN-FREEMAN, 1993, 1997) interferiam em suas ações em sala de aula, ou seja, na abordagem de ensinar da professora e de aprender dos alunos (ALMEIDA FILHO, 1993, 2005) e suas influências na motivação (DÖRNYEI, 2001) para a aprendizagem da língua. Este estudo foi realizado em duas fases: a primeira, vinculada a um projeto de formação reflexiva de professores de língua inglesa em serviço, apresenta características de pesquisa-ação colaborativa e a segunda, realizada ao término das atividades de tal projeto, apresenta características de natureza etnográfica. Os instrumentos e procedimentos de coleta de dados utilizados no desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foram: questionários, entrevistas semi-estruturadas gravadas em áudio, observação e gravação das aulas em vídeo, diários da pesquisadora, sessões de visionamento, logs, gravação em áudio das reuniões do grupo de formação de professores ao qual o presente trabalho está vinculado, bem como os diários desta pesquisadora sobre estas reuniões. Os dados revelaram alguns encontros entre as crenças da professora e de seus alunos, porém detectou-se um desencontro entre a abordagem da professora e o gosto pela gramática em uma das turmas analisadas, na qual observou-se uma menor motivação. O trabalho de formação continuada implicou reforço de algumas crenças e mudanças pouco significativas na prática de ensino da docente participante. / Abstract: The present study aimed at observing a teacherþs and her studentsþ concepts of grammar teaching in an elementary public school, as well as analyzing how such beliefs (BARCELOS, 1995, 2001, 2006; NUNAN, 1998, 1999; LARSEN-FREEMAN, 1993, 1997) interfered with their actions in the classroom, i.e., with the teacherþs teaching approach and the studentsþ culture of learning (ALMEIDA FILHO, 1993, 2005), and influenced the motivation for language learning (DÖRNYEI, 2001). It was developed in two stages: the first one is linked to a reflective development project for in-service English teachers and presents characteristics of colaborative action-research. The second one, developed after the ending of the project, presents ethnographic bases characteristics. The instruments and procedures for data collection were: questionnaires, audio recorded semi-structured interviews, observation and video recording of classes, researcherþs diaries, viewing sessions, logs, audio recording of the teacher development group meetings (to which this study is linked), and the researcherþs diaries on those meetings. Data have shown some correspondence between the teacherþs and her studentsþ beliefs. However, less motivation was observed in one of the groups, where there was some conflict between the teacherþs approach and the studentsþ beliefs about grammar. The teacherþs continuing development work suggested the reinforcement of some of her beliefs and some minor changes in her practice. / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-07-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:34:52Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_mop_me_sjrp.pdf: 926786 bytes, checksum: 652086ef30c19f7508b39654455225cf (MD5) / A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo observar a concepção de ensino da gramática de uma professora de LI e de seus alunos em um contexto de ensino fundamental de escola pública bem como analisar como as crenças dos participantes com relação à gramática (BARCELOS, 1995, 2001, 2006; NUNAN, 1998, 1999; LARSEN-FREEMAN, 1993, 1997) interferiam em suas ações em sala de aula, ou seja, na abordagem de ensinar da professora e de aprender dos alunos (ALMEIDA FILHO, 1993, 2005) e suas influências na motivação (DÖRNYEI, 2001) para a aprendizagem da língua. Este estudo foi realizado em duas fases: a primeira, vinculada a um projeto de formação reflexiva de professores de língua inglesa em serviço, apresenta características de pesquisa-ação colaborativa e a segunda, realizada ao término das atividades de tal projeto, apresenta características de natureza etnográfica. Os instrumentos e procedimentos de coleta de dados utilizados no desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foram: questionários, entrevistas semi-estruturadas gravadas em áudio, observação e gravação das aulas em vídeo, diários da pesquisadora, sessões de visionamento, logs, gravação em áudio das reuniões do grupo de formação de professores ao qual o presente trabalho está vinculado, bem como os diários desta pesquisadora sobre estas reuniões. Os dados revelaram alguns encontros entre as crenças da professora e de seus alunos, porém detectou-se um desencontro entre a abordagem da professora e o gosto pela gramática em uma das turmas analisadas, na qual observou-se uma menor motivação. O trabalho de formação continuada implicou reforço de algumas crenças e mudanças pouco significativas na prática de ensino da docente participante. / The present study aimed at observing a teacherþs and her studentsþ concepts of grammar teaching in an elementary public school, as well as analyzing how such beliefs (BARCELOS, 1995, 2001, 2006; NUNAN, 1998, 1999; LARSEN-FREEMAN, 1993, 1997) interfered with their actions in the classroom, i.e., with the teacherþs teaching approach and the studentsþ culture of learning (ALMEIDA FILHO, 1993, 2005), and influenced the motivation for language learning (DÖRNYEI, 2001). It was developed in two stages: the first one is linked to a reflective development project for in-service English teachers and presents characteristics of colaborative action-research. The second one, developed after the ending of the project, presents ethnographic bases characteristics. The instruments and procedures for data collection were: questionnaires, audio recorded semi-structured interviews, observation and video recording of classes, researcherþs diaries, viewing sessions, logs, audio recording of the teacher development group meetings (to which this study is linked), and the researcherþs diaries on those meetings. Data have shown some correspondence between the teacherþs and her studentsþ beliefs. However, less motivation was observed in one of the groups, where there was some conflict between the teacherþs approach and the studentsþ beliefs about grammar. The teacherþs continuing development work suggested the reinforcement of some of her beliefs and some minor changes in her practice.