Thesis (Ph.D.)--Victoria University (Melbourne, Vic.), 2008.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Hollie Thomas, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 20, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 363 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1995. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 21, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Ronald S. Halinski (chair), Kenneth H. Strand, James C. Palmer, George Padavil. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-116) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1995. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 16, 2006. Dissertation Committee: John R. McCarthy (chair), Larry Kennedy, David Tucker, Lemuel Watson. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-109) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Idaho, May 2006. / Major professor: Jerome M. Fischer. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-143). Also available online in PDF format.

<p> The purpose of this sequential, explanatory, mixed methods study was (a) to investigate the degree to which Career Technical Education (CTE) students in selected California Community College (CCC) believe that the core components of learning communities (LCs) designed for traditional, academic track students exist in LCs designed for CTE students; (b) to determine which of the core components, if any, are perceived by students as most beneficial, for CTE LCs; and (c) to explore any additional components that students might believe to be essential for LCs designed for CTE students. </p><p> In the first phase of this study, the <i>Online Survey of Students&rsquo; Experiences of Learning in a LC</i>, developed and implemented by the National Resource Center for Learning Communities, was administered to a cross section of 75 current CTE LC students from three California Community Colleges to determine the perception of implementation of the core components of a LC. In phase two, survey respondents were able to opt-in to a focus group or interview designed to determine which of the core components, if any, were most beneficial and to explore their experience in the LC to emerge any critical components not included in the survey instrument. Thirty-five survey respondents participated in six focus groups on campus. </p><p> The findings of this study support the following conclusions. Study participants in this study found all four components of a successful learning community integrated curriculum, innovative instruction, engagement and supportive services, present in their learning community designed for Career and Technical Education. Students found supportive services to be the most important component in their learning community, followed by engagement. Supportive services are perceived by students to be key to successful participation, retention and success of survey participants. Specific personnel, peer mentors, teaching assistants, coordinators, counselors and instructors, represent the greatest source of support and means for engagement connecting students to the larger campus community as well as to supportive services. A career focus in the learning community helps students persist and succeed in their learning community and serves as a point of engagement.</p><p>

This study investigates the implementation of Language in Education Policy (LiEP) in learning and teaching in grades six from two schools. It critically examines the teachers’ practices and experiences towards English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) at two different primary schools from the eMalahleni in the Lady Frere Education District in the Eastern Cape. The study is guided by the fact that most learners use their mother tongue (isiXhosa) in classroom as well as outside classroom contexts. Furthermore, some teachers use the translation method of teaching language as they code-switch to their home language when teaching content subjects as well as English. Despite this practice in class, learners are expected to answer their test and examination questions in English. Theoretically, this study is underpinned by the constructivist view of language learning (Gaserfeld, 2003) and English as an international language (Sivasubramaniam, 2011). On the basis of the ecological and the constructivist approaches to language learning, Sivasubramaniam (2011 p.53) views language as a creative instrument of meaning which ‘has the power to create meaning anew and afresh’ each time that someone uses it. The study makes use of the qualitative research method with a case study design that is placed within the interpretive paradigm. The data collected will be analysed through the use of critical discourse analysis. The findings from the study suggest some instrumental motivations to use English as LOLT which is informed by Language policy. Some of these motivations are: studying abroad, business with foreign investors and integrative motivations as the learner will be able to communicate with people from different countries. The study concludes that there is need for schools to stick to the English medium because this acts as an open door to the upward economic mobility among the previously disadvantaged. Based on this, it can be recommended that schools stick to English first additional language as their language of teaching and learning.

Thesis( Master of Education(Education)-- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / I decided to undertake this study because as the RPL specialist, I noticed a discrepancy between the interpretation of knowledge presented as part of a RPL application and the interpretation of that knowledge claim by the academic staff members involved in the assessment. Knowledge claim is the phenomenon that this study is about and I am attempting to answer these two questions: 1. What are the similarities and/or differences in the knowledge claims made by RPL applicants and the knowledge claims recognised by the academics in the RPL process for access into the BTech in Project Management at the institution? 2. How valid is RPL as a means of access to the BTech: Project Management programme at the institution? For my study I developed a theoretical framework that consists of two components: the knowledge claims made by the RPL Applicants before they were given access to the University and the academics’ interpretation of the RPL assessment. The second component is the knowledge claim made by the RPL applicants as students after they were admitted to the University and the academics’ interpretation of their performance. These two components were further developed using concepts such as recontextualization, tacit and explicit knowledge, the usefulness of theory and cognitive ability.I analysed the RPL theories within the context for before Higher Education and after Higher Education. I then proceed to discuss the development of knowledge in the workplace and in the academia using the same breakdown.

From 2010, the South African vocational skills education is offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. TVET colleges need to be transformed in order to empower young learners with the skills required by the various sectors of the economy. The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of the National Certificate (Vocational) Plant Production module in Training and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. The sample for this study is concurrent triangulation whereby complementary methods of data sources were brought together to offset each other‘s weaknesses. The sample for this study consisted of participants from three TVET colleges: one deep rural, one semi-rural/semi-urban and one urban in terms of geographical location. A total of 18 participants were interviewed: 2 subject advisors engaged by the colleges, 1 lecturer from college A, 3 lecturers from college B, 2 lecturers from college C, 4 graduates from college B, 3 graduates from college C and 3 employers .Research design for this study has features of both a survey and a case study. The mixed-method approach was applied using document analysis, questionnaires and interviews for data collection. The researcher found out that there is a disparity between the Plant Production guidelines and their implementation and assessment. Among the main reasons for failure to implement the guidelines properly are poor or inadequate infrastructure for doing practical work, high rate of student absenteeism within the investigated categories, and the high drop-out rate at Levels 2–4. To minimize the challenges in offering the Plant Production module, the study recommends that since some colleges cannot afford purchasing large sizes of land to properly implement the Plant Production guidelines, the government and the DHET should link the Primary Agriculture training to the land reform program where students can be trained under the land reform program.