O presente trabalho contém sugestões de práticas de ensino, utilizando o origami modular, que podem ser aplicadas nas aulas de geometria do Ensino Fundamental. As práticas foram desenvolvidas de maneira que o professor possa enriquecer suas aulas gastando pouco tempo no preparo, e apresentam objetos manipuláveis que tornam o processo de ensino-aprendizagem mais atrativo e significativo. Apresentamos todo o processo de elaboração dos módulos e seus respectivos encaixes para a construção, usando origami modular, dos cinco Poliedros de Platão utilizados nas propostas de práticas de ensino. / This study suggests the origami modular as a teaching method to be used in Geometry class of Elementary School. The origami modular technique was developed for educators to advance their teaching approaches with hands-on activities without spending too much time to prepare for class, producing a more interactive and attractive learning-teaching process. In this study, we will describe the entire procedure to create and to build the modules with its corresponding parts using the origami modular originated from the five Platonic solids proposed in teaching methods.

É nas escolas de negócios que usualmente profissionais da área de administração de projetos buscam aprimoramento, ou mesmo formação para iniciar suas carreiras nesse mercado de trabalho. A partir do conteúdo recebido durante as aulas, é comum ser requerido um trabalho de conclusão de curso, que será considerado como parte dos critérios de avaliação e aprovação do aluno. Em sua experiência de 20 anos como docente, pôde o autor perceber que frequentemente os referidos trabalhos acadêmicos apresentam forte desbalanceamento entre os planos específicos das áreas de conhecimento em gerenciamento de projetos, sendo alguns bem detalhados, outros muito superficiais. Partindo da inquietação intelectual causada por essa observação, este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar os fatores críticos de sucesso para a obtenção de melhores planos de projetos no ambiente acadêmico, propondo melhorias que potencializem o atingimento das expectativas desses alunos. Para tanto, fez-se uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada, com objetivo de caráter exploratório, desenvolvida pelo método qualitativo, com o emprego da pesquisa de dados secundários referentes à 216 trabalhos de conclusão de curso (17,831 páginas), de nove turmas de pós-graduação em gestão de negócios e projetos, o que permitiu identificar quais planos específicos apresentaram melhores e piores desempenhos. A partir dos achados da análise de dados secundários, foi feita uma pesquisa de dados primários, com o emprego da técnica de entrevista semiestruturada, com alunos e docentes especialistas nas áreas de conhecimento em gerenciamento de projetos, a fim de identificar quais fatores são percebidos como mais críticos, considerando-se as dimensões Docente, Aluno, Turma e Instituição de Ensino. Os resultados do estudo permitiram concluir que os planos específicos com piores e melhores desempenhos são, respectivamente, Gestão das Comunicações e Gestão de Escopo e que, dentro da dimensão Docente, dinamismo em sala de aula é fator determinante para o sucesso na experiência de ensino-aprendizagem. De forma geral, entende-se que esta pesquisa pode contribuir para que instituições de ensino superior que oferecem cursos de pós-graduação em gerenciamento de projetos inovem seu conteúdo programático, orientando seus professores no uso dos recursos pedagógicos mais eficazes para ajudar seus alunos a alcançar seu desenvolvimento executivo. / Business schools are usually the place where project managers seek improvement or even basic training to start their careers in this professional field. From the content received during classes, it is common to be requested a term paper, which will be considered as part of the student\'s evaluation and approval criteria. In his 20-year experience as a teacher, the author could perceive that these term papers often present a strong imbalance among their knowledge areas specific plans, some being well detailed, some very. Following the intellectual restlessness triggered by this observation, this paper aimed to study the critical success factors to develop solid project plans within the academic environment, proposing improvements to fulfill student\'s expectations. To get there, it was performed an applied nature research, under exploratory purpose, developed by the qualitative method, relying on the use of secondary data research upon 216 project plans (17,831 pages), term papers of 9 business and project management postgraduate courses, which allowed to identify which specific plans presented great and poor quality. Based on the secondary data analysis findings, a primary data research was carried out using the semi-structured interview technique, with students and expert teachers in the project management knowledge areas, to identify which factors are perceived as critical to success, considering Teaching, Student, Classmates and School dimensions. The research results lead us to conclude that Communications Management and Scope Management are, respectively, the specific plans with the worst and best performances and, within the Teaching dimensions, the dynamism in the classroom is the key success factor in the teaching-learning experience. In general, it is understood that this research can contribute to higher education institutions that offer postgraduate courses in project management to innovate their program content, guiding their teachers in the use the most effective pedagogical resources to help their students to reach their executive development.

Trata-se de uma pesquisa sobre a Formação dos Professores nas zonas rural e urbana do Município de Itacoatiara e o Ensino da Geografia escolar, analisando a articulação entre a prática docente e a teoria geográfico-pedagógica, tendo como foco o desenvolvimento da percepção vivida pelos professores e alunos sobre a Geografia. Mostrando uma organização curricular que deve ser entendida como uma ação dos professores para estruturar os conteúdos e conceitos de Geografia. Que possibilitem aos seus aprendizes do Ensino Fundamental construírem meios próprios para superar de forma racional as problemáticas ambientais sociais e culturais que mais lhes incomodam. Os objetivos construídos, a forma como a pesquisa foi realizada, como foram construídas as questões que compõem os questionários justificaram o trabalho como sendo um estudo fenomenológico de caráter qualiquantitativo. A pesquisa desenvolveu-se com a participação de vários professores, que após serem esclarecidos da importância do estudo responderam questionários com questões abertas e fechadas. As análises dos dados se deram da seguinte forma: As questões fechadas foram lidas e analisadas separadamente. Em seguida tiraram-se as idéias centrais das especificações escritas pelos professores, procedendo-se análise das questões fechadas e ao mesmo tempo um confronto das idéias contidas nas questões fechadas marcadas com as idéias que eles defenderam nas suas especificações. As questões abertas foram contadas e lidas separadamente. Após esse processo, tiraram-se as ideias centrais das diferentes falas dos professores em relação a uma mesma questão. De acordo com o percentual de ideias centrais, efetuaram-se a construção dos gráficos e por fim procedeu-se à análise de cada ideia, de acordo com as categorias representadas nos gráficos. Como resultado foi possível observar que, antes do módulo, aqueles docentes concebiam o ensino de Geografia como sendo uma questão exclusivamente relacionada à preservação dos mananciais, à poluição dos igarapés, à limpeza das ruas da cidade e das salas de aula. Possuíam uma representação antropocêntrica, pois não se viam incluídos no ensino da Geografia como possibilidades de compreender qual a sua importância para o meio ambiente. Após o módulo, cinqüenta por cento deles dizem ver o meio ambiente como sendo uma questão também socioambiental e superaram a concepção antropocêntrica. Antes do módulo, cinquenta por cento disseram construir conteúdos a partir do cotidiano, de jornais e revistas, para trabalhar com os estudantes. Após a nossa trajetória com estes professores, esses mesmos docentes dizem ter descoberto muitas outras referências e metodologias para trabalhar a questão do Ensino de Geografia na sala de aula e no cotidiano escolar de seus alunos, no espaço da sala de aula e da escola. Esta pesquisa, a partir dos resultados que apresenta, quer colocar-se à disposição da comunidade científica e dos professores da Educação Básica e do Ensino Superior como contribuição à construção de novas possibilidades investigativas que queiram aventurar-se no universo das concepções do Ensino de Geografia. / This is a research about the Teacher Training in rural and urban areas of the City of Itacoatiara and the teaching of Geography in the school, analyzing the relationship between the practice of teaching and geographical-pedagogical theory, focusing on the development of experienced perception of the teachers and students about geography. Showing that the curriculum organization must be understood as an \"action\" of teachers to structure the content and concepts of geography. That enable their students of elementary school build its own resources in a rational way to overcome the environmental, social and cultural issues that most bother them. The built objectives, how the survey was conducted, the way that the questionnaires were composed justifies this research as having a phenomenological qualitative-quantitative character. The research was developed with the participation of several teachers, who after being informed about the importance of the study filled questionnaires with open and closed questions. The data analysis was made as follow: The closed questions were read and analyzed separately. Then they took the central ideas to the specifications written by teachers, and the analysis of the closed questions was proceeded confronting them with the ideas contained in the closed questions marked with the ideas they advocated in their specifications. The open questions were read and counted separately. After this process, the main ideas of the different speeches of teachers in relation to the same question were highlighted. According to the percentage of core ideas, we produced graphics and finally proceeded to the analysis of each idea, according to the categories represented in the figures. As a result, it was observed that, before the module, those teachers approached the teaching of geography as an issue solely related to the preservation of water sources, pollution of streams, cleaning the city streets and classrooms. They had an anthropocentric representation, because he had not seen included in the teaching of Geography and possibilities to understand which is it\'s importance for the environment. After the module, fifty percent of them said that they see the environment as a socio-environmental issue and also exceeded the anthropocentric conception. Before the module, fifty percent said that build the content from the routine, newspapers and magazines, to work with students. After our work with these teachers, they say they have discovered many other references and methodologies to work the issue of Teaching Geography in the classroom and school life of their students within the classroom and school. This research, based on the results shows that, aims to contribute to the scientific community and the teachers of Elementary Education and Higher Education in order to the construction of new investigative possibilities that want to venture into the world of conceptions of Teaching of Geography.

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-10-09T18:30:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 elsilenelavaredanogueira.pdf: 909175 bytes, checksum: f5124499068671c59ab1314bbf8327a1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-10-16T12:57:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 elsilenelavaredanogueira.pdf: 909175 bytes, checksum: f5124499068671c59ab1314bbf8327a1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-16T12:57:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 elsilenelavaredanogueira.pdf: 909175 bytes, checksum: f5124499068671c59ab1314bbf8327a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-31 / A presente dissertação investiga os fatores influentes na melhoria dos índices educacionais em uma escola dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, em Manaus. Os objetivos definidos foram: analisar as práticas gestoras e docentes influentes nos índices educacionais; descrever as avaliações externas (Prova Brasil e SADEAM) e os dados da escola; analisar quais fatores do contexto escolar tem contribuído para a melhoria dos resultados e propor a sistematização de um banco de práticas internas com o propósito de documentar as práticas que refletem nos resultados da escola, de modo que ela tenha suas principais práticas documentadas como forma de uma identidade institucional. O objeto desse estudo foi uma escola de tempo integral que se destaca por seus resultados nas avaliações em larga escala. Assumimos como hipótese que a simples ampliação de carga horária escolar não é o fator principal dos resultados, mas sim as práticas de gestão e pedagógicas ali existentes. Utilizamos como fonte de dados as avaliações externas, sendo elas: o Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica (IDEB) – aferido a partir da Prova Brasil – e o Sistema Estadual de Desempenho do Estado do Amazonas (SADEAM). A metodologia utilizada foi o estudo de caso com perspectiva qualitativa. A partir das questões levantadas na pesquisa e posterior análise, é apresentado um conjunto de proposições para a instituição a fim de melhor organizar as ações internas recorrentes na escola. / This present dissertation investigates the influential factors linked to the improvement of the educational indexes in a school that gives classes for beginners students of an Elementary School in Manaus. The core aimed objectives are: to analyze how the management practices and teachers approaches have got to do with the educational performance index achieved; to describe the Brazil Educational Evaluations Tests (Prova Brasil and SADEAM) and the school performance score data achieved; to analyze which factors within school context have contributed to the improvement of the results; to propose a systematization of a written guidance including school own actions and initiatives, aiming to issue a kind of school-booklet-practices that lead to the performance achieve by the school. This written document would represent “The School Institutional Approaches Identity”. The object of this study was a Full-Time Elementary School that stands out for its amazing growing results in large-scale evaluations. We hypothesized that, not only the simple increase of school class hours, is the main factor of the results achieved. But also the management style and pedagogical practices that have been carried out within school. We used external evaluations as data source as it is: the Basic Education Development Index (IDEB) - measured from the Brazil Test; The State System Performance Evaluation of The Amazonas’ State (SADEAM). The methodology applied was “Case Study” focused at Qualitative Perspective. Based on the questions raised in the research template and after all analysis, some suggestions are presented out to this school aiming to provide ideas on how to organize and document its internal teaching actions and practice in a better systematic way.

The thesis briefly describes some techniques of preparation which should lead to creating ornithological dermoplastic preparations and their use in education and biology. These techniques are shown on several bird species. The thesis can be also used as a instruction for creating ornithological dermoplastic bird preparations. It shows some problems of preparation technice. The main goal of the thesis is creating a real ornithological preparations which are, used for education on Pedagogical Faculty of Charles University in Prague. Key words: teaching practices, preparation, taxidermy, birds, ornithological preparation

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Margaret G. Shroyer / This study was designed to investigate teaching practices of mathematics teachers in rural high schools in Kansas in the context of the NCTM Principles and Standards. National reports advocate for change in the mathematics classroom while state assessments force teachers to focus on test scores. This study investigated the extent to which teachers whose students experienced repeated success on state assessments integrated the NCTM Process and Content Standards into the mathematics classroom. Those data were then compared with the teaching practices in schools whose students repeatedly did poorly on state assessments. This two-phase study used both quantitative and qualitative data from four main sources: survey, interview, observation, and collection of artifacts. Phase I surveyed all mathematics teachers in high performing and low performing rural high schools throughout the state of Kansas. Data collected in Phase I were used to examine differences and similarities in teaching practices of teachers from high and low performing schools. During Phase II qualitative data were collected and analyzed to further explore any existing patterns among high performing and low performing schools. Results from teachers in high and low performing schools were compared and contrasted to determine if there were differences between the teaching practices that were demonstrated by each group of teachers. Results of surveys, interviews, observations, and artifacts revealed teachers in high performing schools used a variety of different representations to teach and assess a topic while those teachers from low performing schools used one or two representations. Students from high performing schools had more frequent opportunities to communicate with the teacher to gain additional assistance in learning the mathematics content. Teachers in high performing schools also used formal assessment strategies as part of the learning process more consistently than their counterparts from low performing schools. Results from interviews, observations, and artifacts reveal that teachers in high and low performing schools implement teaching practices aligned with the algebra content standards in a very similar manner.

Cette thèse doctorale est une étude descriptive de type mixte qui articule à la fois des données qualitatives et quantitatives. Dans un objectif heuristique de l’étude des pratiques enseignantes de Bru et selon les travaux de Tardif et Lebrun sur le paradigme d’enseignement et le paradigme d’apprentissage, cette recherche vise à identifier les homogénéités et les hétérogénéités des pratiques enseignantes à distance d’un réseau de formation en synchronie celui du réseau Pyramide. Le cadre, qui a permis l’analyse des données de la recherche, s’appuie sur trois axes capitaux : l’enseignement dans un dispositif à distance, l’organisateur des pratiques enseignantes et les différentes approches de l’enseignement en ligne. Les hypothèses de la recherche qui ont été établies sont fondées sur le croisement de ces axes. Le protocole de la recherche se base sur un questionnaire, l’échelle de Likert et des interviews semi directifs.L’analyse des données quantitatives a permis de définir les facteurs déterminants de l’homogénéité et de l’hétérogénéité des pratiques par le biais de nouveaux organisateurs, tels que l’interaction, le sentiment de maîtrise des outils et l’innovation pédagogique au sein de ce dispositif. Cette recherche confirme l’hypothèse que les pratiques des formations en ligne s’organisent autour de 30 axes que nous avons définis en fonction de l’analyse de déclaration des répondants. Mais elle ne confirme pas l’hypothèse que ce dispositif Pyramide est un organisateur d’homogénéité, malgré son caractère fort qui articule des formes pédagogiques structurées (AFT, TLP, TLT, Visio) et un discours pédagogique explicite sur la nécessaire prise en compte de l’apprenant dans les situations d’enseignement/apprentissage. Globalement, notre recherche témoigne que l’innovation pédagogique est encore loin d’être une réalité dans la FOAD et que de nombreux enseignants continuent de favoriser le paradigme d’enseignement au paradigme de l’apprentissage. / This doctoral thesis is a descriptive mixed study which articulates both qualitative and quantitative data. In a heuristic goal for the study of the teaching practices by Bru and according to the works of Tardif and Lebrun on the teaching and learning paradigms, the research aims at identifying the homogeneity and heterogeneity aspects of distance teaching practices of a synchronic distance learning network, the Pyramide network. The framework allowing the data analysis of the research rests on three main axes: the teaching practices of a distance learning structure, the organizer of the teaching practices and the various approaches of e-learning. The hypothesis of the research is based on the cross study of these axes. The research protocol is based on a questionnaire, the scale of Likert and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative data allowed the definition of key factors for homogeneity and heterogeneity of the practices through new organizers such as interaction, sense of mastering technological tools and pedagogic innovation within the Pyramide structure. The research confirms the hypothesis that the e-training practices are organized around thirty axes that we have defined following the analysis of the trainers’ statements. However, it does not confirm the hypothesis that the Pyramid network is an organizer of homogeneity in spite of the strong character of the system which articulates structured pedagogic methods (AFT, TLP, TLT, visio) and an explicit pedagogic discourse rightfully centered on the learner in the teaching/learning situation. Overall, our research shows that pedagogic innovation is far from a reality in FOAD and that many teachers still favour the teaching paradigm over the learning paradigm.

Notre recherche sur les pratiques d’évaluations informelles orales d’enseignants, apporte une contribution pour décrire, expliquer, comprendre les modalités et les dynamiques de l’enseignement dans leurs relations aux élèves en cours d’apprentissages. Nous posons la conjecture suivante : « Sur une année scolaire, les pratiques d’enseignement évaluatives informelles orales d’enseignants relèvent de la dynamique qui s’établit entre leurs ressources personnelles et professionnelles, leurs environnements d’exercice professionnel et des « émergents » en situations d’enseignement-apprentissage ». Quatre enseignants de C.E.2 ont été filmés, chacun neuf fois sur une année, à raison de trois séances : une de Français, une de Mathématiques et une d’Éducation Physique et Sportive, par trimestre. Nous étudions les « Unités Évaluative Orale » qui allient verbal et non-verbal. Les ressources professionnelles des enseignants s’actualisent par l’étude de leurs Sentiments d’Efficacité Personnelle (S.E.P.). Leur environnement d’exercice professionnel est perçu à travers les statuts qu’ils attribuent à leurs élèves.Ces enseignants évaluent fréquemment, en sont à l’initiative, leurs énoncés sont brefs, parfois implicites (le non-verbal permettant d’en saisir le sens). Ce sont les « faibles » qui sont les plus évalués. La fréquence des évaluations est moindre en E.P.S.. Le plus souvent, lorsque les S.E.P. sont élevés, les évaluations sont « positives » et adressées aux « forts » ; lorsque les S.E.P. sont modérés, les évaluations sont « négatives », principalement en E.P.S. ; lorsque les S.E.P. sont faibles, les évaluations sont « négatives » et s’adressent à la « classe entière ». / Our research about the informal oral assessment practices of teachers is contributing to describe, explain, understand modalities and dynamics of teaching into their links to learning students.We state the following conjecture : "During a scholarly year, informal oral assessment practices of teachers belong to dynamic between teacher's personal and professional resources, their professional environments and "what is emerging" in teaching-learning situations".Four 3rd class teachers have been filmed, each of them nine a year, for three lessons: French, Mathematics and Physical Education each trimester. We study "Oral Assessment Unities" linking verbal and non verbal. Teacher's professional resources are updated by research of their own self efficacy. Their professional environment is sensed through the status that they give to their students.These teachers are frequently assessing, of their own initiative, their reports are short, sometime implicit (non verbal contributing to get meaning). “Low" pupils are most frequently assessed. Teachers are less assessing in Physical Education. More often, when self efficacy is high, assessments are "positive" for "high" pupils; when self efficacy is moderated, assessments are "negative" mainly in Physical Education; when self efficacy is "low", assessments are "negative" for the entire class.

Orientador: Arlete de Jesus Brito / Resumo: A presente pesquisa foi nominada “Cenários do MOBRAL: caso de Araras/SP”. Esta é uma continuidade da nossa dissertação de Mestrado “Panorama Histórico do MOBRAL: operacionalização no município de Araras”. Em Cenários do MOBRAL: caso de Araras/SP, o objetivo foi verificar algumas práticas de professores que lecionaram no MOBRAL em Araras, interior de São Paulo. Os cenários aqui apresentados foram se formando por meio dos relatos que continham as vivências e experiências de nossos colaboradores aliados aos sons emitidos dos documentos escritos. Nesses, foram incluídos documentos oficiais elaborados pelos organizadores do Movimento, documentações cedidas pelo Arquivo da Prefeitura Municipal de Araras, jornais arquivados na Câmara Municipal do Município e também alguns livros de Matemática utilizados no MOBRAL, localizados na Fundação Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, além do diário de campo e as canções que fizeram parte da composição do trabalho. Dentre tantos autores escolhidos para o aprofundamento de leituras, sendo todos os outros não menos importantes, estão: Elias (1998), Hobsbawn (2005), Freire (1983), Freire (1987), Freire (1996), Alberti (2004), Adorno (1995), Freitas (2006), Paiva (1987) e Romanelli (1983). Por meio do aporte teórico metodológico História Oral, foram realizadas entrevistas com cinco professores e duas alunas partícipes do MOBRAL no Município de Araras nas décadas de 1960-1980. A análise foi realizada por meio da triangulação de dados, em que pude... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present research was named "Scenarios of MOBRAL: Araras/SP case". This is a continuation of our master dissertation "Historical Background of MOBRAL: operationalization in the municipality of Araras". In MOBRAL Scenarios: the case of Araras/SP, the objective was to verify how some practices of teachers who taught at MOBRAL in Araras, interior of São Paulo, developed. The scenarios presented here were formed through the reports that contained the experiences and experiences of our collaborators allied to the sounds emitted from the written documents. These included the official documents prepared by the organizers of the Movement, documentation provided by the Archive of the Municipality of Araras, newspapers filed in the city council and also some books of Mathematics used in MOBRAL, located in the National Library Foundation of Rio de Janeiro. of the field diary and the songs that were part of the composition of the work. Among the many authors chosen to deepen the reading, all others being no less important, we can cite: Elias (1998), Hobsbawn (2005), Freire (1983), Freire (1987), Freire, Adorno (1995), Freitas (206), Paiva (1987), and Romanelli (1983). Through the methodological oral history methodological contribution, interviews were conducted with five teachers and two female students of MOBRAL in the Municipality of Araras in the 1960-1980. The analysis was performed through data triangulation, in which we could perceive the repercussion of another MOBRAL in this s... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Executive summary This study explores the learner centred teaching practices in secondary schools in Tanzania. The basis of this research emanated from the problem of the poor performance of secondary school students in Tanzania. The performance of students in national examinations has declined over the past years. This trend shows an increase in the number of students who are failing. The analysis of the examination results indicates that several secondary schools are in a poor situation. Poor performance signifies that many students have failed to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills, and competences to function effectively in society as well as in socioeconomic development. In general, the preceding situation proves that the quality of education has been affected and there is a need for conducting research. The literature indicates that scholars have been conducting educational research to find effective methods of improving students’ performance. To accomplish this aim researchers of IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement), international organizations, and universities have been carrying out extensive studies to examine students’ performance in the areas of science, mathematics, and reading in various national and cultural contexts. Educators have produced results showing that countries such as Finland, South Korea, and Shanghai-China lead the world in terms of student performance. The factors mentioned to account for good performance include hard work by students, positive attitude of students’, effective engagement in the classrooms, schools emphasis on academic success, well-resourced schools, well-trained teachers, and favourable working conditions. In order to improve the problem of poor performance, the literature suggested researchers should mainly examine the learner centred teaching practices in the classrooms. This advice is in line with the goals of various educational programs such as World Education Forums, Tanzania Development Vision 2025, Secondary Education Development Program, and Education Sector Development Program. In addition, the process of transfer and borrowing of policies and practices from Western and European countries to different national and cultural contexts compelled the introduction of learner centred teaching practices. These practices have been supported because they put students at the center of the learning process. They focus on the interest of students and create a positive environment for learning. They facilitate active teaching and learning methods. The practices have a connection to constructivist theory which emphasizes students’ construction of meaning and understanding. The characteristics of the theory are preferred because they should improve educational research, curriculum implementation and students performance in different national and cultural contexts. Despite effectiveness of constructivist theory, educators and practitioners challenged characteristics associated with this theory. It does not provide thorough instructions on how to employ in the classrooms. It does not guide teachers on the appropriate learner centred teaching practices applied in various stages of the lesson development. It is in this background that the current study identified a research gap and area of contribution. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the manner in which secondary school teachers make use of learner centred teaching practices in various stages of lesson development. Specifically, the study explored teachers’ perceptions of the learner centred teaching. It also explored the teachers’ practices and perceptions of the learner centred teaching practices in various stages of the lesson development. Likewise, the study sought to examine the kind of support teachers need to facilitate learner centered teaching practices. It should be recognized that practices and perceptions are essential for providing a thorough understanding of these practices in the classrooms. To achieve the above purpose, this study sought to answer the following research questions: 1. How do secondary school teachers in Tanzania perceive the learner centred teaching? 2. How do secondary school teachers in Tanzania employ the learner centred teaching practices in different stages of the lesson development? 3. How do secondary school teachers in Tanzania perceive the learner centred teaching practices in different stages of the lesson development? 4. What support do secondary school teachers in Tanzania need to enhance their learner centred teaching practices? Concerning the research methodology, this study consulted previous studies carried out in one country and those in various national and cultural contexts. The purpose was to examine and learn how past studies were designed, conducted, and achieved the research objectives. The researcher intended to choose the methodology that manages and controls complexities occurring during the teaching and learning in the classrooms and might affect the data collection. The methodology had to produce a thorough understanding of teachers’ practices and perceptions. This criterion compelled the study to adopt a qualitative design. Scholars insist that classroom practices be studied properly by qualitative design. This design is effective to provide an understanding of the people, contexts, practices, and interactions. This study applied the ethnographic approach to explore the learner centred teaching practices extensively and in a natural classroom setting. The ethnographic approach enabled examining cultural attributes such as practices and perceptions as manifesting in the classrooms. It facilitated the acquisition of information that produced thick descriptions of learner centred teaching practices. In sampling, this study focused to select poor-performing schools that implement learner centred teaching. Teachers were chosen purposively to provide rich information needed to fulfil the purpose of the study. The data collection was conducted between November 2014 and March 2015. Afterward, the researcher continued to capture information from teachers to enrich the database. In the period between December 2015 and January 2016, teachers were given the chance to authenticate the findings. During the fieldwork, the researcher executed a series of activities in line with ethical principles. The data collection methods applied participant observations and semi structured interviews. The data was analyzed by thematic analysis and produced findings in terms of themes. Themes have been connected to the implementation of learner centred teaching practices in the classrooms. The analysis followed steps such as organizing the data for familiarization, reading the data thoroughly, writing and coding the transcripts/texts, formulating the themes, interpreting the meaning, and doing a repetition movement between findings and the database. The main findings of the study reveal that teachers’ perceptions of learner centred teaching exhibited various views. The perceptions and practices towards the learner centred teaching in various stages of the lesson development displayed mixed practices. In this view, the findings on practices (what teachers practiced) and perceptions (what teachers reported) fall into three categories: Those aligned with the learner centred are described as discussing, demonstrating, homework, ongoing assessment, higher-order questioning, asking various questions, interactive seating arrangement, passing to groups during the discussion, teaching a small piece of content, and students presentation. Those aligned with the teacher centred are described as lecturing, reading textbooks, end of period assessment, lower-order questioning, neglecting students’ views, and traditional seating arrangement. Also, practices created by teachers include students marking for themselves, slow students acting as indicators of learning and understanding, examining notes, involving few students, performing questions on the chalkboard, watching the entire class, and remedial teaching (these were created due to various reasons). To support teachers in executing learner centred practices, improvement is needed in the aspects such as in-service training, school based training, teachers’ welfare, teaching materials, producing more science teachers, and testing students frequently. The researcher discussed findings by relating and comparing them with various research studies with reference to the implementation of learner centred teaching practices. In general, the research findings showed that teachers display similar as well as different educational practices. This study realizes the research gap and addresses theoretical and empirical contributions. Regarding theory, the literature indicated that the constructivist theory lacks clear instructions on how teachers should employ learner centred teaching practices in various stages of lesson development. This study addresses the gap by providing a broad understanding of the learner centred teaching practices applied by teachers in various stages of lesson development. To accomplish that aim, the study suggests proper constructivist and learner centred practices for guiding teachers in the classrooms (see Appendix VIII).:TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Executive summary ii-vi Zusammenfassung vii-xi Acknowledgement xii Dedication xiii List of acronyms xiv Table of contents xv-xviii List of Tables xix List of Figures xx CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1 1.2 Statement of the problem 9 1.3 Purpose and research questions 10 1.4 Significance of the study 10 CHAPTER TWO: COMPARATIVE EDUCATION AND TRANSNATIONAL TRANSFER OF EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND THE LEARNER CENTERED TEACHING PRACTICES 2.1 Introduction 13 2.2 Comparative education 13 2.3 The transnational transfer of policies and practices 17 2.4 Comparative education in Tanzania 21 2.5 Curriculum reform in Tanzania 24 2.6 The learner centred teaching practices and its empirical research in Tanzania 28 2.7 Comparative education research about the learner centred teaching 35 CHAPTER THREE: THE CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY AND THE LEARNER CENTERED TEACHING PRACTICES 3.1 Introduction 39 3.2 An overview of the teaching theory 39 3.3 The constructivist theory and its characteristics 40 3.4 Learner centered teaching practices 53 3.5 Empirical research about the learner centered teaching practices 70 3.6 Other aspects related to the implementation of the learner centered teaching practices 75 3.7 Teacher centered practices 80 3.8 Different stages of the lesson development as applied in teaching and learning practices 83 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Introduction 90 4.2 Overview of the background of study and the research questions and methodology 90 4.3 Research design 92 4.4 Research approach 95 4.5 Sampling methods 96 4.6 Pilot study 98 4.7 Data collection methods 100 4.8 Data analysis 107 4.9 Ethical and consent treatments 114 4.10 Quality criteria considered in this study 115 CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS OF THE STUDY 5.1 Introduction 118 5.2 Perceptions regarding the stages during the teaching and learning process 118 5.3 Presentation of findings that follow the stated cases 120 Teacher A 122 Teacher B 135 Teacher C 149 Teacher D 162 5.4 The learner centred teaching practices on the reflection stage 174 5.5 How students are involved in the learner centred teaching practices 178 5.6 Support to improve the learner centred teaching practices 180 CHAPTER SIX: DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS 6.1 Introduction 183 6.2 Overview of the discussion of findings 183 6.3 Perceptions regarding the learner centered teaching 184 6.4 Learner centred teaching practices employed in different stages of the lesson development ….188 6.5 Learner centred teaching practices employed in the reflection stage 203 6.6 How students are involved in the visited classrooms 205 6.7 Support to improve the learner centered teaching practices 207 CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUDING PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7.1 Introduction 212 7.2 Concluding perspectives 212 7.3 Limitations of the study 217 7.4 Recommendations 219 References 221 Appendix I: Classroom observation schedule 248 Appendix II: Semi structured interview for teachers 257 Appendix III: Permission letter from regional education officer 273 Appendix IV: Consent letter from teacher A 274 Appendix V: Consent letter from teacher B 274 Appendix VI: Consent letter from teacher C 275 Appendix VII: Consent letter from teacher D 275 Appendix VIII: Guidelines to consider for preparing, executing and assessing the learner centered teaching practices 276 Schriftliche Erklärung 277