It was proposed that student mathematics gain scores on the Georgia Criteria Referenced Competency Test (CRCT], motivation ant1 teacher expectation might be explained by teacher perceptions of the selected independent variables: Instructional I leadership, professional development, teacher methodology, achievement lesson planning, teacher instructional delivery and teacher college preparation. The correlation design did not include a control group. Thirty-seven of the 48 teachers responded to a 51 -item, five-point ordinal scale questionnaire in a metropolitan Atlanta elementary school. Significant correlations were student CRCT performance; motivation and teacher expectations were intercorrelated and all three variables were significantly correlated with the Achievement Lesson Planning system (ALPS), college preparation, instructional supervision, math grouping, and staff professional development. Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) were only significantly related to CRCT and teacher expectation. Based on these results. five third grade teachers were selected for treatment, and were asked to rate their 95 students' ability to respond to higher order thinking skills in addition to providing teacher and student demographic information. Based on the results of both surveys, a treatment was conducted to counteract the identified causal variables for low student responsiveness in teaching of higher order thinking skills in order to improve student mathematic performance. The researcher (the principal) trained the third grade teachers to function as a Grade Achievement 1em (GAT) on the Empowerment Management of meeting (EMOM) model and to utilize the ALPS to plan lessons so as to counteract the causal variables for low student performance and to teach for higher order thinking skills utilizing the Observation Based Instructional Assessment System (OBIA). The results of ANOVA indicated that all teachers made significant gains on the teaching of HOTS in mathematics. In a factor analysis, HOTS gain scores in mathematics were loaded in component I inversely only with teacher gender. The results of regression analysis indicated that student CRCT math performance was significantly predicted only by their Pre-CRCT score and teacher rating of their math performance. It was suggested that the principal provided professional development at the Grade Achievement Team (GAT) level in the Management of Meeting (EMOM) model for conducting Achievement Lesson Planning System (ALPS) and Observation Based Instructional Assessment (OBIA) on the teaching of higher order thinking skills (HOTS).

The publications in these two volumes reflect the author's work over the past ten years in the development of teaching thinking through philosophical enquiry in primary and secondary schools. Philosophy as an essential aspect of education for all young people was first considered in the US by Professor Lipman in the early 1970s, and is now established in more than thirty countries around the world. The publications presented here represent key documents in the author's involvement in the development of a curriculum for teaching thinking through philosophical enquiry in UK schools. The publications are organised under two themes relating to teaching thinking and philosophical enquiry which are seen as vital elements of children's learning, and are presented as a contribution to curriculum development in schools, including the developing of pedagogic methods and teaching materials, and as a contribution to the professional development of teachers. Fifteen sole-author publications are included, comprising two books, excerpts from four books, and nine published papers. In addition to the publications this volume contains the author's commentary which provides an introduction to the publications and an assessment of their significance.

The recent movement to enhance critical thinking through education is not entirely new. However, it differs from an earlier tradition which was concerned broadly with the historical origins and social ramifications of critical thought. The terms of reference of the current 'thinking skills debate' are more narrowly restricted to the objectives and methods of contemporary education systems and there is a characteristic tendency to adopt features of individual psychology and 'cognitive science'. Even where such conceptual perspectives are not made explicit, there is widespread commitment to the idea that it is possible to identify general skills of thought and teach them successfully. Various programmes maintain this commitment, despite a paucity of evidence that the 'skills' thus identified transfer readily between 'cognitive domains'. A powerful and controversial counter-argument has been advanced against this conception of critical thinking skills. The main thrust of 'domain-theory' is that the 'generalist' position is incoherent; thinking skills are specific to subject-matters of 'domains' of thought, and cannot be abstracted from them, a conclusion said to be preordained by the logic of language and thought. The present thesis is that this counter-argument is substantially correct as a refutation of the theoretical basis of many current aspirations for the introduction of 'thinking skills' programmes into education. Formal representations and generalised accounts of thinking fail to address the open-endedness and creativity of genuinely critical thought. Domain-theory falters, however, in its attempt to interpret logically self-authenticating modes of thought. They are not distinguished by seamless, internal logics or methodologies, nor are they radically distinct from common modes of discourse. Indeed, specialised disciplines derive their intelligibility from this common ground of evolving linguistic meaning and imagery. It is from this, rather than from within the constraints of 'logical domains' that some of the most innovatory developments occur; the perception of analogy; the 'thought-experiment' with revolutionary implications for established theory. Paradigms of this kind have universal significance for the elucidation of critical thought.

Abstract ______________________________________________________________________ Title: A study about creating understanding for different kinds of empowerment Level: Bachelors thesis in Business Administration, 15 credits Author: Fredrik Legovic Supervisor: Tomas Källquist Date: 2014 - June Aim: The main purpose of this study is to increase the understanding for different kinds of empowerment and how it affects the staff in the public sector. Method: The choice of method was based on the research aim. The method used to meet the objective was qualitative. The qualitative study was conducted with a hermeneutic basis, where individuals were asked to describe their experience of empowerment and how they feel affected of it. This thesis has a deductive approach, where existing theories dealing empowerment formed the basis for the design of interview substrate, which is then paired with the empirical evidence, based on this the conclusions was drawn. Result & Conclusion: What separates the different kinds of empowerment and how it affect the staff depends most of all on how the management chooses to communicate and share information with their staff. Suggestions for future research: A study regarding managers that works with different kinds of empowerment, and how that affects them, could be regarded as an interesting future research. Contribution of thesis: It shows that different kinds of empowerment affect the staff in different ways, which I made clear to the readers. Keywords: empowerment, thinking skills, relations and organizational - structure and theory

The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyse the effectiveness and necessity of managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training phase, by focusing on critical thinking skills; classroom management; management skills of professional teachers; the relationship between teaching and management; guidelines for effective classroom management; the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12; the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 English Home Language; critical thinking skills as indicated in the language curriculum; and factors that influence the teaching and learning of critical thinking skills. The literature study reveals that the managing of teaching critical thinking skills is paramount to the effectiveness of the teaching of English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. However, due to several factors, namely: curriculum change; the acceptance and implementation of the new curriculum; professionally qualified and trained educators; background of learners; English Home Language being the language of learning and teaching of many second language speakers, the deliberate managing of teaching critical thinking skills has been overlooked and is totally non-existent. The lack of managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in the English classroom ultimately generates learners who lack the ability to present and understand arguments, think logically and rationally and who fail to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired in becoming well-adjusted citizens in a competitive society. Research evidence has shown that cognition and language development are closely related. It is through language that children come to know the world. Higher-order thinking skills promote higher-order learning skills which in turn enable learners to reach higher levels of language proficiency. A major finding emanating from the research is that educators should become familiar with and embrace the National Curriculum Statement grades 10-12 English Home Language. The learning environment should also be designed to support and challenge the learner’s thinking. English language educators should integrate the promotion of thinking skills into the language curricula. The critical goal is to support the learner in becoming an effective critical thinker. Educators should be professionally trained and qualified to teach English Home Language, especially to second language speakers. Educators must also have good classroom and professional management skills. Educators must exude, disseminate and nurture critical thinking skills in their learners. Educators must be more thorough in the planning and execution of lessons and deliberately incorporate critical thinking skills into lessons. This study recommends on the basis of the literature review, guidelines to assist educators in managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training phase. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyse the effectiveness and necessity of managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training phase, by focusing on critical thinking skills; classroom management; management skills of professional teachers; the relationship between teaching and management; guidelines for effective classroom management; the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12; the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 English Home Language; critical thinking skills as indicated in the language curriculum; and factors that influence the teaching and learning of critical thinking skills. The literature study reveals that the managing of teaching critical thinking skills is paramount to the effectiveness of the teaching of English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. However, due to several factors, namely: curriculum change; the acceptance and implementation of the new curriculum; professionally qualified and trained educators; background of learners; English Home Language being the language of learning and teaching of many second language speakers, the deliberate managing of teaching critical thinking skills has been overlooked and is totally non-existent. The lack of managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in the English classroom ultimately generates learners who lack the ability to present and understand arguments, think logically and rationally and who fail to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired in becoming well-adjusted citizens in a competitive society. Research evidence has shown that cognition and language development are closely related. It is through language that children come to know the world. Higher-order thinking skills promote higher-order learning skills which in turn enable learners to reach higher levels of language proficiency. A major finding emanating from the research is that educators should become familiar with and embrace the National Curriculum Statement grades 10-12 English Home Language. The learning environment should also be designed to support and challenge the learner’s thinking. English language educators should integrate the promotion of thinking skills into the language curricula. The critical goal is to support the learner in becoming an effective critical thinker. Educators should be professionally trained and qualified to teach English Home Language, especially to second language speakers. Educators must also have good classroom and professional management skills. Educators must exude, disseminate and nurture critical thinking skills in their learners. Educators must be more thorough in the planning and execution of lessons and deliberately incorporate critical thinking skills into lessons. This study recommends on the basis of the literature review, guidelines to assist educators in managing the teaching of critical thinking skills in English Home Language to second language speakers in the Further Education and Training phase. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Extensive attention is given to the significance of promoting thinking skills in education. However, very little research has attempted to explore EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher cognition of thinking skills, even it directly influences children’s thinking and learning. In recent years, promoting thinking skills has become an educational goal in the Chinese English Curriculum (MOE, 2010). In order to bridge the gap between the desired outcome and current practice, this study aims to investigate Chinese EFL teachers’ conceptions and teaching beliefs about thinking skills, and to explore the opportunities for, and obstacles to, developing students’ thinking skills in primary EFL classrooms. Four EFL primary school teachers, with more than three years of teaching experience each, participated in this case study. Semi-structured interviews and video recordings were used to collect the qualitative data. The interview data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Teaching practices were video recorded and examined through a think-led methodological framework developed in this study. The analysis revealed a new concept - “English thinking”, as subject-specific thinking. The findings also showed that teachers’ conceptions of thinking skills were fragmented and that they felt unprepared to teach thinking skills, although they all had a positive attitude towards integrating thinking skills into their teaching. The conflicting beliefs around promoting thinking skills were influenced by teachers' previous language learning experiences and by the challenges they come across. Opportunities for promoting thinking skills are identified from teacher-students interaction, including the use of teacher questioning and feedback, collaborative learning, increase of wait time, authentic topics, and teaching creatively. Teachers’ insufficient knowledge of thinking skills and other contextual factors such as the exam-oriented education system constrained the successful implementation of thinking skills in class. Pedagogical suggestions are put forward for policy makers, teacher educators, and teachers. Implications for future research indicate a need to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions of thinking skills, and to develop a framework for the development of thinking skills in foreign language curricula.

In Australia, the employment destinations of new graduates are surveyed annually and descriptions of successful employment have become an indicator of quality within the higher education sector. The expectations that employers hold for graduate generic skills are of interest, therefore, to graduates and the institutions they attended. Communication and thinking are recognised widely as the most important generic skills, however the application of these skills will occur in the workplace where academic skills may not be totally appropriate. In addition, many graduates of Australian institutions; e.g., international students, are likely to be employed by foreign organisations. Therefore, not only is the workplace a very different environment to academia but graduates could be expected to satisfy the expectations of employers working in culturally different environments.This investigation describes the expectations participating Singaporean and Perth employers held for recently graduated business graduates with particular attention given to graduate communication and thinking. The exploratory research used interviews and surveys to assemble contextual descriptions of employer expectations. The interview data was used to construct a questionnaire that was administered across a larger sample of employers to see whether the surveys corroborated the interview findings. Contextual descriptions of the communication and thinking capabilities that the Singaporean and Perth employers expected recent business graduates to possess are provided by this study. Gaps between employer expectations and perceptions of graduate ability are discussed, together with useful graduate characteristics. During data analysis five themes were noted and they have been used to propose a model of employer expectations. Finally, seven recommendations for professional practitioners have been suggested ++ / and a list of employer concerns is provided.

För att organisationer ska klara av att möta nutidens stora omställningar samt den ökandeglobala konkurrensen bör de eftersträva en kontinuerlig utveckling och ett systematisktarbete med innovation. Idag talas det om att den kreativa kapaciteten hos individen ochorganisationen utgör grunden för innovation och att organisationer idag är mer beroende avsina kreativa förmågor än sina materiella tillgångar. För att utveckla individens kreativitetkrävs stimulering av expertis, kreativ förmåga och motivation.Syftet med denna studie var att ta reda på hur Volvo CE industriarbetare kanstimuleras för att uppnå en ihållande kreativ idégenerering. Vi har försökt besvara fyraforskningsfrågor för att kunna uppfylla syftet. För att kunna besvara dessa har vi gjortdatainsamlingar genom enkät och gruppintervju. Vi fann att industriarbetarna med fördelkan stimuleras genom inre motivation, att de bör erbjudas utbildning för att utveckla denkreativa förmågan samt att erbjuda ett större utrymme för explorativt arbete.Industriarbetarna bör även tillåtas generera kreativa idéer som har ett högre nyhetsvärde.

This study investigates the relationship between the beliefs of early childhood education teachers and their use of the teaching strategies instruction and negotiation in relation to the scaffold process. Consideration of thinking skills and the ability to problem solve through the vehicle of play provided the background to the research focus. The research was undertaken in two differently structured early childhood education centres in New Zealand with a case study design framing the gathering of data through observations and interviews. It is a small qualitative study driven by socio-cultural theory and therefore considered from a social constructivist position. The main findings from observations and interviews revealed that not all teachers had congruency between their beliefs and practice, that instruction could be the only mediation within a scaffolding process and by considering the power relations in the learning and teaching situation, a model of how different teaching strategies could be related to different states of thinking. A key finding was that of a definition of negotiation as a teaching strategy.