abstract: Education for sustainable development (ESD) is an academic goal for many courses in higher learning. ESD encompasses a specific range of learning outcomes, competencies, skills and literacies that include and exceed the acquisition of content knowledge. Methods and case studies for measuring learning outcomes in ESD is absent from the literature. This case study of an undergraduate course in urban sustainability examines the processes, curriculum, pedagogies, and methods to explore whether or not learning outcomes in education for sustainable development are being reached. Observations of the course, and the statistical analysis of student surveys from course evaluations, are explored to help identify the relationships between learning outcomes in ESD and the processes of learning and teaching in the case study. Recommendations are made for applying the lessons of the case study to other courses, and for continuing further research in this area. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.U.E.P. Urban and Environmental Planning 2012

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School safety is the utmost priority for an elementary school administrator and is high on the list of public concerns. The intent of this study was to identify the professional development that Virginia Elementary School principals receive in the area of handling student discipline. The study addressed the following research questions: (a) to what extent do current elementary school administrators receive training in the area of handling student discipline; (b) to what extent do elementary school administrators receive training in the area of handling student discipline in principal preparation coursework; (c) what are the most prevalent topics when administrators receive training in the area of handling student discipline; and (d) what future training, in the area of handling student discipline, do elementary school administrators need? This descriptive, quantitative study included a survey, created by the researcher that was used to collect data from 103 elementary school administrators. The results indicate that the administrators did not receive comprehensive training in the area of handling student discipline. In particular, training regarding suspensions and minority overrepresentation was severely lacking while the training around safety and security was the most prevalent. Forty-nine percent of the administrators indicated that their principal preparation programs did not address student discipline in a required coursework. The results of this study provide school district leaders with information on current gaps in the area of student discipline included in professional development provided to elementary school administrators in principal preparation programs and during their tenure as administrators. / Ed. D.

This pilot study investigated the usage of Feuerstein’s (1980) Instrumental Enrichment with underprepared college students. Open admissions policies in colleges and universities have resulted in the enrollment of many students who are underprepared to meet the academic task demands. Courses have been developed by the colleges and universities to remediate the academic deficits of underprepared students. Remedial courses using traditional educational methods have been largely ineffective. Cognitive process instruction (CPI) is an area of educational research that recently began to receive increased attention in the field of remedial education. The goal of CPI has been to develop the cognitive/thought processes of students. Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (IE) is a CPI program which had success in remediating the thinking and learning deficits of adolescent students. IE had not been used with a college population in the United States prior to this study. The major question was whether the use of IE would enhance the thinking and learning skills of underprepared college students and, thus, increase their abilities to achieve satisfactorily in college. The study included 65 college student subjects administratively defined as underprepared (ACT composite score below 16). The subjects were enrolled in four sections of a “Success Strategies” course developed for underprepared students. The 29 experimental subjects received approximately 13 hours of IE instruction. The 36 control subjects received an equivalent amount of instruction in college “success strategies” such as goal setting, decision making, and study skills. The dependent variables were: (a) intelligence, as measured by the Nonverbal Battery of the Lorge-Thorndike Intelligence Test; (b) self concept, as measured by the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS); (c) grade point average (GPA); (d) attrition/withdrawal rate of students; (e) descriptive data obtained from experimenter-designed study habits questionnaires and course evaluations. An analysis of covariance was used to analyze the Lorge-Thorndike and TSCS pretest and posttest scores. An analysis of variance was used to analyze the GPA data; and the attrition data were submitted to a chi-square analysis. A variety of appropriate procedures (e.g., t-test, chi-square, analysis of variance) were used to analyze the descriptive data obtained from the study habits questionnaires and course evaluations. No significant differences between groups were found for the Lorge-Thorndike, TSCS, GPA, or attrition rate analyses. The GPA data analyses indicated that: (a) mean GPA declined significantly across both groups when remedial course grades were removed from overall GPA (F = 55.15; df = 2, 88; p < .01; and (b) overall mean GPA declined significantly across both groups from the Fall 1981 to Spring 1982 semesters (F = 19.98; df = 1, 40; p < .01). The only significant between group difference for the descriptive data analyses indicated that the experimental group anticipated and reported studying more hours per week than the control group (F = 8.91; df = 1, 40; p < .01). The GPA results were the reverse of the hypothesized effect. The reasons for the differences in study hours were not clear. The hypothesis that IE would enhance the thinking and learning skills of underprepared college students was not supported. Three interpretations that together or separately may account for the lack of a treatment effect were: (a) IE, as it was applied to this study, was not a valid appropriate CPI intervention with underprepared college students; (b) the duration of the IE treatment was insufficient to produce the hypothesized effects; and/or (c) the evaluation instruments were not sensitive to changes in the experimental group students, if in fact changes did occur. It was recommended that future research increase the duration of the IE treatment; apply or develop more sensitive evaluation instruments; and/or consider alternative programs.

Eksamineringspraktyke in skole in Namibie is die fokuspunt van hierdie studie. 'n Historiese ondersoek is ingestel na die bree, algemene eksamenstelsels van die verlede. Op grond van die tekortkominge en gebreke van die Kaaplandse Onderwysdepartement-eksamenstelsel, is die noodsaaklikheid en wenslikheid van die herbeplanning en verbetering van die eksamenstelsel uitgelig. Daar is gefokus op die HIGHERIINl'ERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION-eksamenstelsel, ten einde vas te stel of algemene erkende opvoedkundige beginsels, prosedures en werkswyses tot op datum in die eksamenstelsel vergestalt is. 'n Uitvloeisel van die bevindings in hierdie studie is dat die huidige eksamenstelsel tekortkominge weerspieel, maar dat die historiese beperkinge oorbrug kan word Die afleiding word gemaak dat alle onderwysbelanghebbendes moet saamwerk aan verbeteringstrategiee ten opsigte van die huidige eksamenstelsel. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat die hele eksamenstelsel so spoedig moontlik, maar na deeglike beplanning, volledig sal verinheems. / Examination practices in schools in Namibia is the focal point of this study. An historical research has been done into the general examination systems of the past On account of the shortcomings and constraints of the Cape Education Deparbnent examination system, the necessity and desirability of the restructuring and betterment of the examination system is highlighted. The emphasis is put on the HIGHER/ INI'ERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION to determine whether generally accepted educational principles, procedures and methods have been embodied in the examination system. The present Namibian examination system is still insufficient. However, much can be done to overcome the historical constraints. The conclusion was reached that each and every stakeholder should work together to devise strategies for the betterment of the examination system. The author trusts that the whole examination system will, as soon as possible but after thorough planning, become totally indigenous. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)

Eksamineringspraktyke in skole in Namibie is die fokuspunt van hierdie studie. 'n Historiese ondersoek is ingestel na die bree, algemene eksamenstelsels van die verlede. Op grond van die tekortkominge en gebreke van die Kaaplandse Onderwysdepartement-eksamenstelsel, is die noodsaaklikheid en wenslikheid van die herbeplanning en verbetering van die eksamenstelsel uitgelig. Daar is gefokus op die HIGHERIINl'ERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION-eksamenstelsel, ten einde vas te stel of algemene erkende opvoedkundige beginsels, prosedures en werkswyses tot op datum in die eksamenstelsel vergestalt is. 'n Uitvloeisel van die bevindings in hierdie studie is dat die huidige eksamenstelsel tekortkominge weerspieel, maar dat die historiese beperkinge oorbrug kan word Die afleiding word gemaak dat alle onderwysbelanghebbendes moet saamwerk aan verbeteringstrategiee ten opsigte van die huidige eksamenstelsel. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat die hele eksamenstelsel so spoedig moontlik, maar na deeglike beplanning, volledig sal verinheems. / Examination practices in schools in Namibia is the focal point of this study. An historical research has been done into the general examination systems of the past On account of the shortcomings and constraints of the Cape Education Deparbnent examination system, the necessity and desirability of the restructuring and betterment of the examination system is highlighted. The emphasis is put on the HIGHER/ INI'ERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION to determine whether generally accepted educational principles, procedures and methods have been embodied in the examination system. The present Namibian examination system is still insufficient. However, much can be done to overcome the historical constraints. The conclusion was reached that each and every stakeholder should work together to devise strategies for the betterment of the examination system. The author trusts that the whole examination system will, as soon as possible but after thorough planning, become totally indigenous. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)