Thesis (MEd)--University of South Australia, 1997

Thesis (M.S.)--Rowan University, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

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This research investigated how constructivist approaches are conceptualized and implemented in “gallery tour and studio workshop” programs at three art museums, and the relationship that exists between the gallery and studio learning. To address these questions, I examined how administrators from each museum designed programs and supported educators, how educators facilitated teaching, and how students responded to the gallery and studio learning. I employed a basic qualitative multi-case study. This method suited my research—an investigation of three cases (three iterations of a program at each museum)—because I aimed to understand the uniqueness of each case while examining a range of similar and contrasting cases. Data collection methods included observations of program sessions, interviews with museum administrators and museum educators, casual conversations with participating students, photos of students’ artworks, and museum documents. The cases offer examples of educators’ teaching approaches, which reflect—or do not reflect—constructivist tenets, as well as factors that influence the connection—or lack of connection—across gallery and studio learning. Specifically, the findings indicate that a smaller students-educator ratio and knowing students’ information in advance helped ensure a conducive learning environment. Another relevant factor was the educators’ facilitation of dialogue. Students became more involved in interpreting artworks when educators were most responsive to their ideas, and less involved when educators asked leading or less open-ended questions. Program themes, reflections on the tour prior to the studio session, and motivating questions for studio activities helped ensure connections between gallery and studio. Additionally, exploratory studio activities and small group discussions in the studio helped students make unique choices within their art projects, whereas step-by-step demonstrations led to prescriptive artworks. Further, students’ responses reflected the sequencing of the program: ways of discussing artworks travelled from the galleries to the studio, and student artworks referenced visual elements from artworks displayed in the galleries. While the findings of this research are not generalizable, they provide insight into methods and approaches that might be adopted by museum administrators, museum educators, and art educators who aim to provide school students meaningful and well-connected museum “gallery tour and studio workshop” educational programs.

Yuen Ka-ming. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-93). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT Page --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / LIST OF EXAMPLES --- p.viii / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE --- p.4 / The Theory of Constructivism --- p.4 / From the Teacher-centered to Constructivism --- p.4 / Constructivist Teaching --- p.8 / Constructivist Views of Learning --- p.13 / Exogenous Constructivism --- p.13 / Endogenous Constructivism --- p.14 / Dialectical Constructivism --- p.15 / Theoretical Assumptions --- p.17 / The Research Evidence --- p.17 / Previous Studies --- p.18 / Limitations of Previous Research --- p.22 / Summary --- p.24 / Chapter III. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.25 / Case Profile --- p.25 / Data Collection --- p.27 / Participant Observation --- p.27 / Interviews --- p.28 / Documents --- p.30 / Data Analysis --- p.30 / Classroom Processes --- p.31 / Comparing Student Learning --- p.31 / Participants' Feedback on the Constructivist Teaching --- p.32 / Chapter IV. --- RESULTS --- p.33 / The Classroom Processes --- p.33 / The Classroom Process of the Constructivist Teaching --- p.37 / The Classroom Process of the Teacher-centered Teaching --- p.42 / Comparing Student Learning --- p.44 / Changes in Participants' Knowledge --- p.45 / Type 1: No Relevant Knowledge Gained (nil/similar) --- p.45 / Type 2: Relevant Knowledge Gained without Prior Knowledge --- p.51 / Type 3: Relevant Knowledge Constructed and Integrated into Prior Knowledge --- p.54 / Similarity and Difference between the Two Teaching Approaches --- p.60 / The Learning Outcomes --- p.61 / Outside-class Learning --- p.61 / Recalling --- p.64 / Critiquing and Generating --- p.68 / Similarity and Difference between the Two Teaching Approaches --- p.72 / Participants' Feedback on the Constructivist Teaching --- p.73 / The Negative Side --- p.73 / The Positive Side --- p.78 / Summary --- p.79 / Chapter V. --- DISCUSSION --- p.81 / The Strengths of Constructivist Teaching --- p.81 / Limitations of Constructivist Teaching --- p.82 / Conclusion and Recommendations --- p.84 / REFERENCES --- p.86 / APPENDICES / Chapter A --- Pre and Post Class Interview Questions --- p.94 / Chapter B --- A Sample Interview Guide for the Pre-class Interviews --- p.95 / Chapter C --- A Sample Interview Guide for the Post-class Interviews --- p.96 / Chapter D --- The Interview Guide for the Final Interview --- p.97

Tam Ha-ting. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-106). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Declaration --- p.2 / Acknowledgement --- p.3 / Abstract --- p.4 / 本文摘要 --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter §1.1 --- The role of examination in the Hong Kong education system / Chapter §1.2 --- Examination-oriented approach and teaching / Chapter §1.3 --- Examination-oriented approach and learning / Chapter §1.4 --- Cross-cultural comparisons / Chapter §1.5 --- Evolution and impact of learning theories / Chapter §1.6 --- The layout of this thesis / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Behavioral and cognitive approaches to learning --- p.15 / Chapter §2.1 --- Introduction / Chapter §2.2 --- Behavioral approach / Chapter §2.3 --- Ivan. Pavlov: Classical conditioning / Chapter §2.4 --- B. F. Skinner: Operant conditioning / Chapter §2.5 --- Components of behavioral learning / Chapter 2.5.1 --- The role of consequences / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Schedule of reinforcements / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Shaping / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Stimulus control / Chapter §2.6 --- The impact of behavioral approach to teaching and learning / Chapter §2.7 --- Evaluation of behavior approach / Chapter §2.8 --- Rise of cognitive psychology / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Constructivism --- p.35 / Chapter §3.1 --- Nature of knowledge / Chapter §3.2 --- The acquisition of knowledge / Chapter §3.3 --- Constructivist view of learning / Chapter §3.4 --- Piaget and constructivism / Chapter §3.5 --- The impact of constructivism on teaching and learning / Chapter §3.6 --- Evaluation of constructivism / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Constructivist approach to statistics learning --- p.62 / Chapter §4.1 --- Constructivist approach to science learning / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Physics instruction / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Mathematics instruction / Chapter §4.2 --- Constructivism and ill-structured discipline / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Nature of ill-structured domain: Conceptual complexity and across-case irregularity / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Statistics as an ill-structured discipline / Chapter 4.2.3 --- "Example: Statistics in sociology, 1950 -2000" / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Constructivism based teaching strategies in ill-structured domain / Chapter §4.3 --- Development of on-line teaching / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Multiple representation of information / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Interactive between users and the information / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Case study --- p.83 / Chapter §5.1 --- Description of workshop / Chapter §5.2 --- Features of workshop / Chapter §5.3 --- Evaluation / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusions --- p.91 / Bibliography --- p.93

The emergence of constructivist epistemology, as the dominant educational philosophy, has been very influential on the current movement to improve the quality of education. NSW has seen the establishment of the NSW Institute of Teachers (NSW Government, 2004a), the development and publication of a generic set of standards for teaching (NSW Institute of Teachers, 2005a) and the implementation of the NSW Quality Teaching model of pedagogy since 2003. In mathematics education, philosophies of mathematics and mathematics teaching that are consistent with constructivism, are reflected in current and previous NSW syllabus documents as well as the standards document published by the Australian Association for Mathematics Teachers in 2002. Within the context of these documents this research project investigated my efforts, as a novice teacher of primary school mathematics, to implement quality mathematics teaching. This research evolved from a Bachelor of Education honours project, which found that despite recently graduating from university preservice teaching courses which advocate teaching pedagogy based on constructivist learning theories, beginning teachers, along with their more experienced colleagues, use largely traditional methodologies in their mathematics teaching. From the narrative and analysis of my experience, it is my aim to demonstrate ways in which support might be implemented for beginning teachers in the subject area of mathematics. While the research literature has investigated beginning teachers, it has not done so in this unique and evolving context. In this thesis the components of effective mathematics teaching were identified from the mathematics education literature, with a particular focus on the work of Doug and Barbara Clarke (Clarke and Clarke, 2004; Clarke, 1997) and linked to the more generic elements of the NSW model of pedagogy (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003e). The resulting picture of the quality teaching of mathematics was then used to analyse the data collected in video-taped lessons as well as the issues that emerged from my teaching diaries, daybook and programs, utilising the NVivo 2 (QSR, 2002) computer program. The first year of teaching was undertaken on a part-time basis teaching only mathematics to a Year 2 class. The second year involved teaching a Year 4 class on a full-time basis. The impact of teaching full-time had an immediate impact on the time available to focus on mathematics teaching. Efforts to implement elements of best practice were subjugated by my need to survive the crushing workload associated with undertaking the programming, planning, teaching, assessing and reporting of all KLAs, each involving significant content. In considering the implications of the findings of this self-study project it is important to consider the implications, not only for the support of novice teachers but also for the students they teach. Despite the positive experience of having taught part-time, improving on the skills developed in previous professional placement and casual teaching experiences including classroom organisation, behaviour management and programming, taking on a full-time teaching load with a new grade was overwhelming. Implications regarding the types of support that would have been of benefit in assisting my efforts to do more than survive the early experiences of full-time teaching, and improve the quality of mathematics education experienced by my students are drawn. These include suggestions of how university courses might assist in bridging the gap between the vision of quality and the realities of teaching; reduced workload to allow significant opportunities for lesson preparation; formal mentoring, from someone other than a supervisor, and structures to support the establishment of collegial partnerships; preservice and inservice courses that move the teacher from an image of reform to identifying and developing a specific component in their own teaching; and the provision of innovative mathematics programs to support both beginning and experienced teachers in improving the quality of their mathematics teaching. Recommendations for further research are made. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 253-266). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 253-266). Also available on the Internet.