Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Curriculum and Instruction. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by FÁTIMA GIL DE OLIVEIRA TREVELIN null (fatiminha2008_@hotmail.com) on 2016-03-15T08:38:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 REVISADO E RECUPERADO Fátima.pdf: 1100805 bytes, checksum: a26f72a443394eb4e9cdf1bccbc2bcb7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-03-15T16:34:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 trevelin_fgo_me_mar.pdf: 1100805 bytes, checksum: a26f72a443394eb4e9cdf1bccbc2bcb7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T16:34:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 trevelin_fgo_me_mar.pdf: 1100805 bytes, checksum: a26f72a443394eb4e9cdf1bccbc2bcb7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-25 / Com o intuito de contribuir para a reflexão sobre a alfabetização no cenário brasileiro, mais especificamente no Estado de São Paulo, analisamos a política educacional do Programa “Ler e Escrever” e dos conteúdos de disciplina de Língua Portuguesa em seu contexto, assim como suas repercussões, em uma escola da rede municipal de Ensino Fundamental da cidade de João Ramalho/SP. As reformas educacionais dos anos de 1990 regulamentaram parâmetros e diretrizes gerais, por meio da Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional – LDB, de 1996, para que fossem desenvolvidos na forma de currículos pelos sistemas de ensino em todo o país. No Estado de São Paulo, definiu-se um currículo mínimo e comum a todas as escolas paulistas, o que se deu de forma explícita para o segmento da educação básica de primeira a quarta séries (1º ao 5º anos) através da estruturação do “Programa Ler e Escrever” a partir do ano de 2007. Procuramos contextualizar a culminância do programa desde o período das reformas educacionais, contemplando reflexões que ecoam sobre o trabalho docente, a formação curricular, avaliações externas, a leitura e até a contribuição dos gêneros literários para a alfabetização. O objetivo desta pesquisa é realizar uma análise do Programa “Ler e Escrever”, a qual contempla desde sua ideologia expressa em documentos oficiais, seus materiais para uso de professores e alunos até a prática em sala de aula, por meio de entrevistas com as professoras alfabetizadoras. Constatamos a ausência de uma formação continuada para o professor, descrita nos documentos oficiais, substituída por prescrições detalhadas sobre as atividades nos guias do professor, um reconhecimento tácito desta ausência de formação. O trabalho com projetos e sequências, importantes na alfabetização, descritos por vários autores, como Dolz e Schneuwly (2004), Geraldi (2006), Bronckart (2009) entre outros, acontece no programa. Entretanto, os projetos e sequências não surgem da necessidade dos atores envolvidos, pois já vêm predeterminados. O uso de atividades que abrangem os gêneros literários acontece, na voz das professoras, num âmbito horizontal, sem maior verticalização. / In order to contribute to reflections on Brazilian literacy, especially in the state of São Paulo, the educational policy of “Reading and Writing” project and the contents of the Portuguese subject in this context were analyzed, as well as their repercussions in a local elementary and middle school in João Ramalho, a town in the countryside of the state of São Paulo. The 1990 educational reforms, by means of the 1996 Brazilian Educational Laws and Guidelines (LDB), determined the general parameters and guidelines, which were developed in the form of curricula by the educational systems throughout this country. In São Paulo, a minimum curriculum was determined to all elementary schools (1st to 5th grade) in that state, by means of the “Reading and Writing” project in 2007. And in the present work we tried to contextualize the project at its height since the educational reforms, fostering reflections on the teaching work, curriculum background, external examinations, reading and even the contribution of textual genres to the literacy. This work is aimed to analyze the “Reading and Writing” project by interviewing literacy teachers, and comprehends from the ideology of this project shown in the official laws and the materials used by teachers and students to the routine in the classroom. The lack of an ongoing training of the teachers was verified, although the training was determined by the laws. In turn, there were detailed prescriptions about the activities in the teacher’s book, an admission of the lack of training. The work with projects and didactic sequences, which are important in the literacy, described by authors such as Dolz and Schneuwly (2004), Geraldi (2006), Bronckart (2009), and many others, is present in the “Reading and Writing” project. However, the projects and didactic sequences did not arise from the need of the involved people, because those are already predetermined. The activities with textual genres are done, according to the teachers, horizontally (i.e. as something imposed, not considering the students’ background).

This qualitative naturalistic descriptive case study provides an understanding of the characteristics of a community of practice within a National Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute. This study utilized naturalistic, descriptive case study methodology to answer the research question: What characteristics of a community of practice are revealed by the perceptions and experiences of the fellows of a National Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute? Data were gathered in the form of interviews, focus group, observations, field notes, and participant reflective pieces. Peer debriefing, triangulation, thick rich description, as well as member checking served to establish credibility and trustworthiness in the study. Bracketing, a phenomenological process of reflecting on one's own experiences of the phenomenon under investigation was utilized as well. The findings of this study point to five analytic themes. These themes, ownership and autonomy, asset-based environment, relationships, socially constructed knowledge and practices, and experiential learning, intertwine to illuminate the three essential components which must be present for a community of practice to exist: joint enterprise, mutual engagement, and shared repertoire. Participants' portraits provide a description of their unique experiences as they moved fluidly between the periphery and core of the community of practice.

The Afghan Women’s Writing Project (AWWP) emerged in 2009 as a platform through which Afghan women could express their lived experiences and perspectives on a range of culturally relevant issues while retaining their anonymity. The purpose of this research was to understand poetry as a conflict resolution tool that Afghan women are using to be active participants in the social, political and cultural dialogue that is determining their rights. This research focused on three questions: 1) How do Afghan women describe the state of womanhood in Afghanistan? 2) How do Afghan women describe the conflict they experience in their everyday lives? 3) How might poetry and narrative be used to manage the conflict that Afghan women are facing? This research presents a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of one hundred published poems from the AWWP poetry database. Data analysis included open coding, thematic analysis, and the use of van Dijk’s six-step CDA model to evaluate the semantic macrostructures, local meanings, linguistic markers, global and local discourse forms, linguistic realizations, analysis of context, and the researcher’s own interpretive analysis. The findings identify and explain the major themes derived from the study as well as describe how Afghan women feel about womanhood and conflict. The major themes included: child brides/forced marriage, hijab/burqa/niqab, women’s resistance, parents as protectors and/or perpetrators, the power of writing and stress as a result of conflict. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of implications for sustainable norm change using poetry, directions for future research, and recommendations for policy and programming.

This qualitative study examined the influence of the 2011 Oregon Writing Project (OWP) Summer Institute (SI) on the professional development of six teachers in the following ways: 1. The development of case descriptions of teachers' personal and professional backgrounds relevant to their teaching of writing. 2. An examination of the effects of the Summer Institute on participants' self-reported teaching practices, attitudes, and beliefs about the teaching of writing. 3. An examination of participants' perceptions of aspects of the SI program that they deemed 'influential' in their professional development. Data was collected from Summer Institute application materials, written coursework, and follow-up interviews. Using inductive reasoning, systematic analysis of the data resulted in the following findings: 1. Teachers reported a neglect of writing education in their teacher preparation programs, as well as in the professional development programs offered by K-12 schools. 2. Participants tended to report change in their professional and personal practices, attitudes, and beliefs related to writing following the Summer Institute. 3. Participants unanimously identified the characteristics of time and a safe learning environment as significant in their professional development experience. The study suggests the need for more comprehensive inclusion of writing instructional methods in preservice and professional development programs. The study also reinforces pre-existing research that supports professional development models that are designed to be teacher and context-centered within a collaborative community. The present research highlights the need to consider factors of time and participant feelings of "safety" when designing professional development programs. Finally, the study maintains that effective professional development may offer the important teacher learning and confidence needed in K-12 schools / Graduation date: 2012

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain participants’ perceptions of Tampa Bay Area Writing Project (TBAWP) influence on professional learning over time. This study explored Writing Project impact on professional learning by accessing the oral histories of three educators who were involved in TBAWP between 1998 and 2004. The research question was: • In what ways, if any, has long-term involvement in the Tampa Bay Area Writing Project impacted the teaching practice, career growth, and professional learning of participating educators? This qualitative study employed constructivism as the theoretical framework. Analysis of study data resulted in specific findings. Educators’ stories revealed Writing Project participation significantly impacted their teaching practice, career growth, and professional learning. The lasting impact of Writing Project involvement was seen in the ways in which educators infused the concept of community into their teaching practice, accepted leadership positions within the profession, and ultimately went on to conduct professional learning experiences for educators. Data analysis generated a conceptual model that examines the lasting impact of educator professional learning. Implications of this finding are significant for longitudinal inquiry of educator professional learning and for impact studies of long-term Writing Project involvement. In addition to providing exemplars of educator stories of practice over time, the study contributed to development of a fuller understanding of effective professional development, educator professional learning, and the lasting impact of Writing Project involvement.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / F. Todd Goodson / Professional development of in-service teachers continues to increase, but not all programs are successful in promoting teacher learning and student improvement. This qualitative study offers an examination of how one professional development program, The National Writing Project, with its teachers-teaching-teachers model is making a difference. The National Writing Project is one of the longest running, most cost-efficient, and most successful professional development programs in education. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing teacher transformation. Five areas were addressed: (1) the identification of transformation factors; (2) the relationship of personal literacy as it affects professional change; (3) being a member of a learning community and how it affects personal learning; (4) being a member of a learning community and how it affects professional learning; and (5) the role of spirituality in transformation. The setting was the National Writing Project's Invitational Summer Institute as it examined how fellows, first time participants, perceived their learning. Participants were from 17 different writing project sites across the United States. Data collection involved three distinct sources: (1) selection of participant and rationale provided by site directors of writing project sites; (2) audio-taped long interviews of each participant; and, (3) a follow-up focus group conducted in an electronic discussion board. The findings highlighted an interweaving of five factors influencing teacher transformation: (1) identification and application of knowledge for self and students; (2) reflection of learning and practice; (3) collaboration; (4) active and on-going involvement; and, (5) supportive and safe environment. When these five transformative factors are designed and implemented in the professional development of teacher in-service, teachers are provided an opportunity to personally learn which leads to professional learning and improved instruction for student learning. Excerpts from each data collection, recommendations for future research, and appendices to replicate the study are provided.

This thesis begins with sufficient research to support the contention that secondary teachers should be using writing in the classroom, proceeds to question why some are not, and then supplies specific lesson plan ideas which can be adapted to suit most needs in the secondary history classrooms.