published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the implementation of a structured professional learning community model referred to as Learning Team Meetings (LTMs) on teacher practice and student achievement from the perspective of teachers and instructional leaders at high-need schools. To accomplish this purpose, a multi-site case study was conducted at three school sites (an elementary, middle, and high school) all within the same region of one of the largest urban school districts in South Florida. Qualitative research methods, including one-on-one observations, interviews, focus groups, and review of documents were utilized to analyze, contrast, and compare perceptions,beliefs, and assumptions of the participants in the study. The participants included teachers, principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, and Learning Team Facilitators (LTFs). A total of 20 participants were involved in the study. The conceptual framework for this study is rooted in the guiding principles of organizational learning and effective professional development practices. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) offer formal structures to provide teachers with learning enriched, ongoing, job-embedded staff development (Hord & Sommers, 2008). This study focused on one trajectory or type of PLC, and sought to better understand the implementation of an organizational systemic knowledge transfer structure and the impact on teacher practice from the participants' perception. The research design profided thick, rich data, which offered in-depth understandings of the participants' perception, beliefs, and assumption about the LTMs' impact on teacher practice and student achievement. Through the research it was determined that participants among all three of the schools sites believed that LTMs were changing teacher practice. / Further, the participants at each of the school sites recognized the significance of the LTF and that he or she plays an essential role in the LTMs. The significance of the study,implications of these findings, and recommendations for further research are also presented. / by Ora Meles. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Education has given much attention to problems involved in grouping boys and girls for instruction. This emphasis is evidenced through the considerable space in professional literature which has hen devoted to this problem. Even so, the matter remains an issue in that considerable disagreement persists. However, there seem to be some general principles that have come to be commonly accepted. The writer, in her position of teaching boys and girls, faces this problem continuously. Thus, she has a keen interest in discovering more effective ways of meeting problems involved in grouping boys and girls for instruction. In order to satisfy this interest the writer has chosen her own school situation as a point of study. / Typescript. / "August, 1953." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts." / Advisor: Virgil E. Strickland, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 30-31).

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With current legislation focusing on the implementation of inclusive education, more learners with diverse needs are entering the regular classroom. In order to effectively address the needs of all learners, it is necessary for educators to implement effective teaching 'strategies in educating learners with diverse needs. Many educators have not been trained to address the needs of learners with special educational needs with the help of specific teaching strategies. Because of this, effective in-service training programmes for educators are necessary. The primary aim of this research study was to determine whether the following outcomes of an in-service programme on co-operative learning for educators have materialised in the academic achievement, social skills and motivation of learners with special educational needs have improved. The research design was evaluative in nature and specifically addressed the question of whether the participants (the learners with special educational needs) changed in the direction that the programme was planned. An integrated qualitative and quantitative methodology in evaluation research was followed and involved observations before, during and after the intervention. Research findings indicated that both learners with special educational needs and regular classroom learners benefited favourably from the co-operative learning lessons in terms of academic achievement, motivation and social skills. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die huidige wetgewing wat die fokus toenemend op die implementering van inklusiewe onderrig laat val, betree al hoe meer leerders met diverse behoeftes die gewone klaskamer. Ten einde in die behoeftes van alle leerders te voorsien, is dit nodig dat opvoeders by die opvoeding van leerders met diverse behoeftes effektiewe onderrigstrategieë implementeer. Baie opvoeders is nie opgelei om met behulp van spesifieke onderrigstrategieë die behoeftes van leerders met spesiale opvoedkundige behoeftes aan te spreek nie. Vir hierdie rede is effektiewe indiensopleidingsprogramme vir opvoeders noodsaaklik. Die hoofdoel van hiedie navorsingstudie was om vas te stelof die uitkomste van 'n indiensopleidingsprogram in kooperatiewe leer vir opvoeders verwerklik is en of die akademiese prestasie, sosiale vaardighede en motivering van leerders met spesiale opvoedkundige behoeftes verbeter het. Die navorsingsontwerp was evaluerend van aard en het spesifiek die vraag aangespreek of die deelnemers (die leerders met spesiale opvoedkundige behoeftes) verandering getoon het in die rigting wat deur die programbeplanning in die vooruitsig gestel is. 'n Geïntegreerde kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodologie in evalueringsnavorsing is gevolg en het waarneming voor, tydens en ná die intervensie behels. Navorsingsbevindings het getoon dat sowel leerders met spesiale opvoedkundige behoeftes as gewoneklaskamer-Ieerders ten opsigte van akademiese prestasie, motivering en sosiale vaardighede by die koëperatieweleer-lesse baat gevind het.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 1990. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Small group work is a complex educational method which requires of the teacher not only a thorough knowledge of group work methods and group dynamic processes, but also thorough advance planning and organising before its implementation. Before the teacher implements small group 'Work in his class-room, he should formulate clear aims and objectives to serve as guideline for group activities. During small group work distinctive activities are undertaken and to increase the success of these activities, the teacher will have to create a positive climate which promotes the teaching and learning process. As with the creation of climate, the composition of the group is a variable which can be controlled by the teacher. The correct group composition will not only lead to more effective group functioning, but will also contribute to a healthy esprit de corps. Small group work implies a dramatic shift in emphasis in respect of the traditional roles of teacher and pupil. The role of the pupil (learner) changes from that of a passive listener to that of an active participant and discussion partner in the teaching and learning process. The role of the teacher who has been regarded as almost the only source and transmitter of knowledge, changes to that of a facilitator who leads and motivates the pupil to become an enquirer-learner. To be able to participate effectively in small group activities requires certain skills of pupils. Two skills, namely communication and problemsolving, which should be taught to the pupils purposefully and in a structured way, are described in this study. The success of small group work is to a large extent determined by these two skills. Co-operative learning is an educational technique which involves the pupil in becoming co-responsible for his own teaching and lea~ning process. Cooperative learning is described as an aspect of small group work where heterogeneous groups of approximately five members each, function interdependently of one another in order to attain a group aim. Co-operative learning techniques are aimed at eliminating, to a large extent, the passivity and isolation which may occur during ordinary group w0rk, as each group member is actively involved in the learning process. Co-operative learning techniques is also aimed at developing the pupil as a whole because components such as communication development, problem solving, socialising, conflict handling and leadership development are all involved. In this way the pupil may be better prepared to take his place in a complex society which is constantly making higher demands. The application of co-operative learning techniques in small group context may also offer a solution to the problems of combined and ever growing classes at present experienced in education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kleingroepwerk is 'n komplekse onderrigmetode wat vereis dat die leerkrag nie aIleen oor deeglike kennis van groepwerkmetodes en groepdinamiese prosesse moet beskik nie, maar ook deeglik moet beplan en organiseer voordat dit gelmplementeer kan word. Voordat die leerkrag kleingroepwerk in sy klaskamer implementeer, moet hy eers duidelike doelstellings en doelwitte formuleer wat groepaktiwiteite kan rig. Tydens kleingroepwerk word eiesoortige aktiwiteite beoefen en om die sukses van hierdie aktiwiteite te verhoog, word die leerkrag genoop om 'n aangename positiewe klimaat te skep wat bevorderlik is vir die onderrig en leerproses. Soos klimaatskepping is groepsamestelling 'n veranderlike wat deur die leerkrag beheer kan word. Die korrekte groepsamestelling lei nie aIleen tot meer effektiewe groepfunksionering nie, maar kan ook bydra tot 'n gesonde groepgees. Kleingroepwerk impliseer 'n dramatiese klemverskuiwing ten opsigte van die tradisionele rolle van leerkrag en leerling. Die rol van die leerling (leerder) verander vanaf passiewe luisteraar na aktiewe deelnemer en medegespreksvennoot in die onderrig-en-leerproses. Die leerkrag wat feitlik as die enigste kennisbron en kennisoordraer beskou word, se rol verander nou na fasiliteerder wat eerder die leerling lei en motiveer om ondersoekendlerend op te tree. Om effektief aan kleingroepaktiwiteite deel te neem, vereis dat leerlinge oor sekere vaardighede moet beskik. In hierdie studie word twee vaardighede, naamlik kommunikasie en probleemoplossing beskryf wat doelbewus en gestruktureerd aan leerlinge geleer en ingeoefen moet word. Die sukses van kleingroepwerk word in 'n groot mate deur hierdie twee vaardighede bepaal. Kooperatiewe leer is 'n onderrigtegniek wat die leerling betrek om mede-verantwoordelikheid vir sy eie onderrig-en-leerproses te aanvaar. Kooperatiewe leer word beskryf as 'n aspek van kleingroepwerk waar heterogene groepe van ongeveer vyf lede elk interafhanklik van mekaar funksioneer ten einde dip. groepdoel te bereik. Kooperatiewe Ieertegnieke is oaaro: gemik om passiwiteit en isolasie w,at tydens gewone groepwerk mag voorkom in 'n groot mate te elimineer aangesien elke groeplid aktief by die leerproses betrek word. Kooperatiewe leertegnieke het ook ten doel om die leerling in sy totaliteit te laat ontwikkel aangesien komponente soos kommunikasie-ontwikkeling, probleemoplossing, sosialisering, konflikhantering en leierskapontwikkeling ter sprake kom. Sodoende kan die leerling beter voorberei word om sy plek in 'n komplekse samelewing wat steeds hoer eise stel, vol te staan. Die toepassing van kooperatiewe leertegnieke binne kleingroepverband bied ook moontlik 'n oplossing vir probleme van gekombineerde en groterwordende klasse wat tans in die onderwys ervaar word. / Stellenbosch University

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education