Inclusive education within the United Arab Emirates has started to gain momentum and the roles of teachers have become more challenging. This study investigated teacher views surrounding the inclusion of SEN students into mainstream schools. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed and the social constructivist theory was used as a framework for the research. Purposive sampling was employed, and a total of seven teachers and four parents participated in the study. Thematic analysis was used and findings suggested that UAE teachers experienced various challenges due to the inclusion of SEN students into their schools. Some of the challenges included: lack of professional development, lack of managerial support, parental demands, cultural barriers and the lack of collaborative opportunities. The study recommended varied professional development workshops aimed at developing an understanding of SEN and inclusion within the UAE context. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

[pt] Com a análise das produções e das trajetórias acadêmicas de dois expoentes da Vanguarda Construtiva Brasileira – Décio Pignatari e Lygia Pape – o presente trabalho discute a relação entre arte e indústria a partir dos anos 1950. Ambos trabalharam como artistas, designers e professores universitários. Acreditavam que o artista moderno devia integrar-se à coletividade de diversos modos, incluindo a participação nos meios de produção e nas mídias de massa. Como docentes, iniciaram suas carreiras ministrando semiótica. Posteriormente, Pignatari caminhou para as teorias da literatura e da comunicação enquanto Pape se dedicou ao ensino de linguagem visual. Tanto um quanto o outro lecionaram em cursos de graduação e pós-graduação. Seus textos acadêmicos, embora pouco examinados em profundidade como parte do Projeto Construtivo, trazem importantes reflexões acerca da crise da arte na era da reprodutibilidade técnica, propondo saídas para este impasse. Por esta razão, são analisados os ideais expostos na tese de doutorado Semiótica e Literatura (USP-1973), de Décio Pignatari, e na dissertação de mestrado Catiti-Catiti, na terra dos brasis (UFRJ-1980), de Lygia Pape. Busca-se compreender seus posicionamentos perante o questionamento do belo como categoria central da estética, observando os reflexos da Semiótica de. C. S. Peirce nos temas abordados por Pignatari e as marcas da Fenomenologia de M. Merleau-Ponty no pensamento de Pape. Investigam-se, então, suas posturas em defesa da invenção artística, considerando as duas diferentes perspectivas sobre este conceito. Livros de W. Benjamin, M. Bense e M. Pedrosa estão entre referenciais teóricos centrais das duas pesquisas. / [en] This research verifies the connections between constructive arts and industries after the 1950 s. Particularly, the work aims to inquire the productions and the academic trajectories of two important members of the Brazilian Constructive Vanguard – Décio Pignatari and Lygia Pape. Both of them were artists, designers and professors. In their view, the modern artist should contribute to industrial society in many different ways, because all creative activities were related. As college members, they began teaching semiotics. Lately, Pignatari dedicated his career to literature and communication theories and Pape became interested in visual linguistics education. It is worthwhile to mention that they were educators in graduation and post-graduation courses. Their academic papers discuss the art crisis in the age of mechanical reproduction, proposing ways to overcome this challenge. However, these texts were rarely mentioned as a part of Brazilian Constructive Project. Therefore, this investigation analyses Décio Pignatari s PHD Thesis called Semiótica e Literatura (USP-1973), and Lygia Pape s Masters Dissertation untitled Catiti-Catiti, na terra dos brasis (UFRJ-1980). Initially, their arguments lead to the questioning of the beauty concept as a central aesthetic category. In this sense, C. S. Peirce s semiotics impacts Pignatari s thoughts, and M. Merleau-Ponty s phenomenology marcs Pape s ideals. Lately, this work examines their claims for artistic invention, revealing two different perspectives on this concept. Books written by W. Benjamin, M.Bense and M. Pedrosa integrate their theoretical frameworks.

The diploma thesis on the subject of Project education in a littleclass school raises a research question: Does the inclusion of a project education in a littleclass school help to develop pupils key competencies? The aim is to describe, analyse and evaluate the use of project education at the primary level of a littleclass school. In here project education is understood as one of the possibilities of realising educational content, which is defined by the Framework Educational Program for elementary education. The thesis is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. The theoretical part is based on the transformation of the Czech education after 1989. It points out the humanisation program of school reform and constructivist approaches in teaching. It deals with the characteristics of project education, typologies and phases of the project. It familiarises itself with the specifics of a littleclass school and with the possibility of incorporating project education into this type of school. It points out the positives, but maybe even the dificulties of project education. The practical part deals with the realization and reflection of several projects in the littleclass school with regard to the specifics of this type of establishment. On the basis of the analysis, it tries to assess whether...

Approaches to teaching primary school mathematics Abstract: The main goal of this thesis is to clarify the differences between two distinct approaches to teaching mathematics at primary school, the transmissive approach and so called genetic constructivism. The theoretical part of the thesis describes main features of these two approaches to teaching mathematics. The practical part shows approaches of two concrete teachers of the first grade, which are investigated by observation, analysis of videorecordings from mathematics lessons and interviews with the teachers. The videorecordings analysis shows didactic aspects of each teacher's approach to teaching. Dealing with pupil's error has been chosen as leading didactic aspect and is analysed in more detail. Furthermore, the author's development of her own approach to teaching mathematics is analysed. Key words: approach to teaching, method, technique, constructivist approach, transmissive approach, dealing with errors, individualisation, teacher's professional development

This master thesis deals with middle school pupils and their comprehension of Part-whole theory within the area of Mathematics. The theory section is divided into five parts. The first part presents sets of knowledge and skills of lower-secondary school pupils that are essential for completing a particular time period in selected thematic areas of mathematics at primary schools. In the second part, individual stages and mechanisms of cognitive processes needed in Mathematics are determined, and the third part focuses on teaching methods of Mathematics. Among the issues mentioned in this part are for example the difference between formal and informal knowledge or transmissive and constructivist way of teaching. Lastly, the fourth and fifth parts specify various expressions of wholes and their parts. The research part of this paper provides an analysis of interviews with certain teachers that are employing different teaching methods, testing applied on their pupils and also an analysis of the textbooks that are being used by these teachers. The other part of the thesis is the evaluation of the interviews with the selected teachers, what gives us the information about the relationship of the teachers to particular didactic approaches, and the evaluation of the tests taken by pupils including standard...

This study focused on HIV-positive domestic helpers and the constructions of their experiences in their employing families. A literature survey established the primary theoretical assumption for the study that acknowledges the domestic helper as an integral part of the extended family of the employer. The study sought to generate grounded theory through content analysis, qualitative research methods and the constructivist-interpretative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews with open questions were conducted with 14 HIV-positive domestic helpers. Responses captured in audio recordings were transcribed and analysed. The textual data was then analysed and interpreted based on open, axial and selective coding. From this coding process four themes emerged as the ways in which HIV-positive domestic helpers construct their experiences within the families. The results from this study indicate that they construct their experiences around: <ul> <li> the HIV&AIDS diagnosis, </li> <li> their HIV&AIDS status, </li> <li> their emotions and </li> <li> their needs. </li></ul> A particularistic scrutiny of the data and research results indicate that participants experience that visible symptoms of HIV&AIDS may forewarn employers when domestic helpers are HIV-positive. These domestic helpers experience negative attitudes, reduction of job content and retrenchment with concomitant financial repercussions. However, the participants in this study indicated that the attitude of employers' children towards them remain positive after diagnosis. In terms of the way in which they construct their experience around emotion, results indicate that they experience complex emotions including shock, uncertainty, loneliness, unworthiness, guilt, rejection, concern, anger, shamefulness and depression. Yet, they also present high levels of acceptance and spiritual growth. In terms of needs, they indicate the need for HIV-friendly workplaces and medical care. They specifically desire employers to help care for their children when they pass away. A comprehensive appraisal of the research results points towards two key aspects: the lack of agency that is prevalent in this group of participants and the silences that is evident from their narratives. The narratives of the HIV-positive domestic helpers indicate that they easily negate agency of their lives to their employers and concomitantly that the lack of agency hampers their ability to retain a sense of worthiness and responsibility for their lives. The results from this study also ensconce silences in many guises. Silences were reflected: <ul> <li> through semantic values and linguistic nuances,</li> <li> regarding acts or omissions of employers,</li> <li> regarding communications,</li> <li> regarding needs and</li> <li> regarding reduction of job content</li> </ul> In rare instances, the construction of experiences of some participants confirmed the ability of HIV-positive domestic helpers to accept agency of their circumstances. In summary, HIV-positive domestic helpers in this study experienced a lack of agency, they report narratives of silences, but they also reflect elements of healing, growth and spiritual deepening when they construct their experiences of HIV&AIDS in their families of employment. Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Barnard, JP 2004, MIV-positiewe huiswerksters se konstruering van hul ervarings van MIV en VIGS binne die werkgewersgesin (Afrikaans), PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03112005-080007 / > / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study examines the impact of rapid and multi-faceted change (both domestically and inter-nationally over the past four decades) on the Dutch Reformed Church. 2 February 1990 is taken as a water shed date in the history of South-Africa: a speech in parliament of former president FW de Klerk put South-Africa on a course of fundamental change in all spheres of society. The research problem deals with loss the Afrikaans community experiences as a result of societal change. The result of change and loss is long-lasting, collective grief. Grief is defined as the nor-mal, spontaneous reaction to change and loss. Unresolved grief and nostalgia saps a lot of energy and tends to turn a congregation’s attention to itself, thereby contradicting the sound reformed ecclesiology. There is no appropriate practical theological theory to help congregations address unresolved grief. Change, loss and grief are made focus points for theological reflection and empirical study. The guiding hypothesis states that efforts to build up the local church are more likely to succeed, once the “black holes” of unaddressed grief have been dealt with by a collective and on-going process of mourning. Mourning is defined as an intentional and courageous process of letting go of different losses. It is hard work, but the result of deliberate mourning is growth – and eventually a more appropriate, new identity. Unresolved grief causes congregations to get stuck in survival mode, in stead of reaching out to the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mourning is an antidote (Hamman 2005:35). The research model of G Heitink (1993) is employed to generate fresh practical theological thinking on the research problem: that congregations fail to live according to their missional identity. The hermeneutical cycle explores the “new” practical theology in the framework of a post-Einstein epistemology, as well as the theory of building up the local church in the framework of an ecosystemic meta-theory. The hermeneutical cycle is concluded with the study of contemporary theories of loss, grief and mourning. The empirical cycle reports the results of a qualitative empirical study in three local congregations of the Northern Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church. A rich description is given of 31 respondents’ experience of loss and grief in the new South-Africa. It is established that unresolved grief indeed impacts negatively on efforts to build up the local church. The strategic cycle searches for practical theological wisdom and for a theory that can guide congregations to more productive responses to change and loss. The research boils down to twelve strategic suggestions for local congregations on how to make collective mourning a normal and on-going part of their ministry. The study concludes with the hypothesis that practical theology can serve the church by developing a theory that integrates intentional mourning and grief work as a necessary and normal aspect of ministry. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Young people who are homeless experience adversity, but many are able to overcome the challenges of street life and transition back into housing. This exploratory, qualitative research draws on the narratives from interviews and focus groups with 35 young people who have experienced homelessness, as well as interviews and focus groups with 30 service providers working in youth shelters and a youth drop-in centre. Exploring themes of victimization, criminal offending, police involvement, and interactions with community services, this research highlights the capacities of young people to navigate around obstacles and negotiate to meet their needs. Integrating symbolic interactionism and social constructivist perspectives, this research explores the importance of micro-level interactions and perceptions, as well as the contexts that frame the decision-making processes of young people passing through homelessness. The implications of these perspectives are discussed within the framework of resilience discourse.

The government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia proclaimed a new curriculum for reconstructing the education system. The programme aimed at changing the predominantly-used teacher-centred instructional strategies to student-centred, active learning methods. This motivated the main research question of this study namely What are Ethiopian students’ learning styles and attitudes towards active learning approaches? The specific research questions that were investigated were: • What are the learning styles of students in Grade 10 public and private schools and at second year university level, and do these students prefer certain learning styles? • What are the attitudes of students at Grade 10 public and private schools, and at second year university level in respect of active learning approaches? • Do significant relationships exist between the students’ learning styles and their attitudes towards active learning as regards the four dimensions of the Index of Learning Styles (ILS), namely active-reflective, sensing-intuitive, visual-reflective and sequential-global? • Are there significant differences in the students’ learning styles and their attitudes towards active learning in respect of gender, different education levels and types of schools? In order to answer these questions, the study made use of an exploratory, descriptive design. By means of questionnaires data were collected from a purposefully and a conveniently selected sample of 920 students from Grade 10 government and private schools and second year university students in Hawassa, Ethiopia. The sample comprised of 506 males and 414 females, 400 students from Government schools and 249 from private schools, and 271 from the university. The data were analysed by means of descriptive statistics (means and correlations) and inferential statistics (analysis of variance). The results indicated that the majority of the students’ learning styles were balanced between the two dimensions of the ILS scales. As secondary preference, they tended towards moderate categories, and a small section of the students preferred the strong categories of the scales. Secondly, the study determined that the sampled students in general, demonstrated a positive attitude towards active learning. Thirdly, by means of the study a significant relationship was ascertained between the students’ attitudes towards active learning and the active-reflective dimension of the ILS. Fourthly, significant differences were indicated in the students’ learning styles and attitudes towards active learning in respect of their gender, their education level and the types of schools. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The study investigated the impact of computer simulations on the teaching and learning of electromagnetism in grade 11. Electromagnetism is a section of the Physical Science curriculum. Two grade 11 classes in the Mgwenya circuit in Mpumalanga province of South Africa were used as a case study. Using a pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design, it was found that learners in the experimental group (n = 30) who were taught using the simulations achieved significantly higher scores on the post-test than learners in the control group (n = 35) who were taught using traditional teacher-centred teaching method; (t statistic = 3.582, df = 56, p<0.05). Learners were more active during the lessons, predicting, observing, discussing and explaining concepts. The use of simulations also provided support (scaffolding) that the learners need to enhance learning. The Hake’s normalized gain for the experimental group <g> = 0.32 compared to <g> = 0.18 for the control group confirmed conceptual improvement. Both teachers and learners indicated that they accept the use of computer simulations in teaching and learning of electromagnetism. / Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)