Does it matter how history is interpreted? If two historians interpret the same events in different ways, as they quite often do, does it make any difference to anyone? Should anyone care whether the interpretations differ? Similarly, if history textbooks used in the schools vary in their interpretations of the same story, should anyone be concerned? [...]

This paper deals with developing pragmatic competence in the English as a second language classroom, mainly through speaking activities. In Part One the theoretical background of pragmatics and its various aspects are discussed. Views of a number of authors on pragmatics are presented, witnessing the necessity of pragmatic upbringing at schools and other educational establishments in the world of globalization. Some examples are given why pragmatic awareness is inseparable from grammatical or vocabulary knowledge of a particular language. The importance of reflective teaching and its types is stressed. Next, the paper focuses on ways to stimulate learner pragmatic growth, critical thinking and self-awareness, the role of questions, also the role of the mother tongue in the pragmatically oriented classroom. In Part Two possible activities for raising pragmatic competence, as proposed by various linguists, are described. Some specific examples are given here. In this part of the paper the reader gets acquainted with ways of developing pragmatic competence that are effective and convenient to implement in the classroom. Finally, in Part Three the coursebooks Twist 1 and Twist 2 (Student’s Books and Teacher’s Books) are analyzed as means to be used by teachers having specific aims for learner pragmatic development. All the chapters (Issues) are overviewed (each separately and all of them as one whole), general tendencies and peculiarities are discerned, specific tasks are... [to full text]

The aim of this study was to identify how historical literacy manifested itself in Grade 10 history textbooks. The use of two distinct time periods was used in my study to chart the changes in history education, in South Africa. Pre-1994 detailed the nature of history education and history textbooks during the times of the Boer and British Republics to apartheid era history education. Post-1994, on the other hand, depicted the change, or lack thereof, of history education and history textbooks from the 1994 democratic elections to its current state. Despite the changes in history education between the two eras, the use of history textbooks was, in the context of this study, the vehicle to deliver the curriculum. In the light of the progression of history education and its link to history textbooks, the purpose of this study was threefold, which was purported through the use of three research questions, namely to firstly ascertain what kind of historical literacy was envisaged by the NCS – history. Secondly, to examine the views of history textbook authors concerning their opinion of school history (historical literacy). Thereafter, it was imperative to analyse Grade 10 textbooks in order to ascertain how historical literacy manifested itself therein so as to satiate the question of the thesis. My data sources were the National Curriculum Statement for history (2003), Grade 10 history textbook authors and three Grade 10 history textbooks. The methodology was qualitative and informed by an interpretivist approach. Open coding and Fairclough’s (2005) analytic instrument for discourse analysis was applied to data. Thereafter, a deeper conceptual understanding of historical literacy was engendered through the use of the Toolkit for Historical Literacy. Historical literacy is a complex process wherein a number of criteria facilitated the concept. Attainment of these factors of historical literacy would ensure mastery of the discipline. Historical literacy comprised of historical content knowledge which was a balance between knowing information as well understanding the past. Multiple sources, together with historical skills and historical concepts were vital for historical literacy to construct and evaluate knowledge. In addition, historical literacy furthered a case for developing a moral and ethical framework wherein the past could be judged. Historical consciousness, born of historical literacy, allowed for learners to make a connection with the past. Furthermore, historical literacy encompasses a number of modern concepts for the case of historical literacy, namely ICTunderstandings and representational expression. Therefore, historical literacy should be multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional. The findings of this study were numerous. Historical skills, historical concepts, understanding and knowing the past, moral judgements in history and a source-based methodology was the encompassing form of historical literacy from the Grade 10 history textbook authors. At the core of historical literacy in Grade 10 history textbooks, are the role of the historian and the political influence of the NCS - history. The NCS - history endorsed all history textbooks in South Africa. The Grade 10 history textbooks revealed a potentially alarming factor for the case of historical literacy. The historical literacy advocated by the Grade 10 history textbooks is a far cry from the international version of historical literacy. No modern features of historical literacy were represented (ICT-understandings, representational expression, applied science, contention and contestability and historical consciousness). Moreover, more traditional features of historical concepts of change, cause and effect as well a means of morally judging the past through empathy are missing or not appropriately dealt with. Historical literacy in Grade 10 history textbooks is functional in terms of sourcing, contextualising and corroborating information so as to understand an event rather than know it. Historical skills are needed to complete this process. Ultimately, the type of historical literacy found in Grade 10 history textbooks is reminiscent of the Schools History Project. Historical literacy in South African Grade 10 history textbooks is not evolving or dynamic and it does not meet the requirements of the international version of historical literacy. However, it does partially satisfy the NCS - history requirements for historical literacy. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Wie der Titel des Buches bereits deutlich macht, ist dieses Lehrbuch sowohl für Anfänger als auch für Fortgeschrittene gedacht. Aus diesem Grunde wurden in das Lehrwerk eine umfangreiche bulgarische Grammatik (Phonetik, Morphologie, Syntax und Wortbildung) sowie umfangreiches Material zur Erweiterung des Wortschatzes integriert. Die ca. 1700 Seiten sollen den Nutzer aber keineswegs abschrecken, sondern als ein breites Bildungsangebot verstanden werden, in dem jeder Nutzer entsprechend seiner Interessen und Vorkenntnisse navigieren kann, nicht zuletzt mittels Suchmaschinen, da hier eine elektronische Fassung des Lehrbuches vorliegt. Das Lehrbuch soll deutsche Muttersprachler, die Bulgarisch lernen wollen, genauso ansprechen, wie bulgarische Muttersprachler, die ihre Deutschkenntnisse verbessern möchten.

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the portrayal of American Indians in U.S. textbooks selected for review in Hillsborough County, Florida's 2012 textbook adoption. The study identified which of the textbooks under consideration contained the greatest amount of information dedicated to American Indians. The study then analyzed how that information was portrayed. The exploratory questions that guided this study were, how are American Indians portrayed in five selected U.S. history textbooks? It also addresses the question, under what conditions can Tribal Critical Race Theory help illuminate how American Indians are portrayed in textbooks? The methodology used is a critical case study (Rubin and Rubin, 2005; Janesick, 2004). The Five Great Values, as developed by Sanchez (2007), were used in the organization, coding, and analysis of the data. The theoretical framework that guides this study is Tribal Critical Race Theory (Brayboy, 2005), created in order to address issues from an indigenous perspective. This study found that while overt racism has declined, colonialism and assimilation were still used as models when American Indians were depicted in the five selected textbooks. It also discovered the portrayal of American Indian women to be particularly influenced by the models of colonialism and assimilation. Colonization and assimilation can been seen in the depiction of American Indians as a part of nature, the homogenization of American Indian religion, the portrayal of elders as unnecessary, the exclusion of American Indian role models, and the use of Western socioeconomic models rather than indigenous ones.

Denna rapport beskriver vårt arbete med att framställa en lärobok för GY11 inom inriktningkarosseriteknik. Läroboken ska ses som en introduktion till yrket bilskadereparatör.

Das Internet verändert die Möglichkeiten des Lernen und Lehrens und auch die Arbeitsweise von Wissenschaftler/inne/n und Lehrenden. Frei zugängliche Lernmaterialien zu erstellen, zu modifizieren und in der Lehre einzusetzen ist eine Konsequenz aus technischen Möglichkeiten und Veränderungen der Wahrnehmung und Nutzung der Möglichkeiten des Teilens und Tauschens im Bereich der Bildung. Am Beispiel des Lehrbuchprojektes „Lehrbuch für Lernen und Lehren mit Technologien“ (L3T) wird in diesem Beitrag aus Perspektive der Initiatoren davon berichtet, wie sich solche neuen Formen und Wege gestalten (können) und welche Erfahrungen damit gemacht wurden. Dazu wird das Projekt L3T mit drei derzeit neuartigen Formen von Initiativen verglichen: (a) mit Initiativen zu offenen Bildungsressourcen, (b) mit Crowd-Sourcing-Initiativen und (c) mit offenen Bildungsinitiativen.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Jul. 28, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1996. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 30, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Lawrence W. McBride, Niles Holt (co-chairs), Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, John Freed, William Archer. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 260-283) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 125 p. Includes bibliographical references.