This thesis emphasizes the significance of readers’ emotional engagement with characters in the process of reading novels which, in turn, plays a critical role in the reflective moral transformation of the reader. It approaches the analysis of the relationship between emotions, literature and ethics from the perspective of the perceptual theory of emotions. My claim is that our imaginative engagements with narrative fictions, and particularly realist novels, by triggering a critical reflection process through the arousal of our emotions, might prove to be a morally transformative experience. Reflective moral transformation is defined as a deepening of one’s moral understanding that often involves a shift in one’s perspective that comes about as a result of a critical reflection of one’s existing moral beliefs. As such, it entails a willingness to scrutinize one’s moral beliefs and to improve one’s moral understanding. I put forward here a model that will satisfactorily explain how engagement with realist novels can serve to morally transform ourselves.

This dissertation explores implications about teacher inquiry group (IG) practices through the representations of achievement gap (AG) discourses. The study draws from the challenges, struggles, and accomplishments of a middle school inquiry group of teachers and staff that worked collaboratively, as an institutionalized practice, with the intention to develop recommendations for closing the AG. After five years of collaborative work, the group did not get to develop an action plan. This longitudinal, ethnographic, qualitative study unveils multiple and contested representations of AG discourses and unpacks three assumptions about teacher inquiry group practices as a strategy for institutional and/or individual change: (1) that the group can resolve the issue at task; (2) that members embody the role of researchers; and (3) participation in the group can provide opportunities for transforming discourses. Critical discourse analysis provides the lens for analyzing four years of data collection: field notes, audio and written records from monthly sessions, written feedback and reflections, as well as interviews. My dual role, as member and teacher-researcher, and the use of CDA allowed me to identify critical moments. I describe critical moments as instances in which discourses of AG changed, reproduced, but not necessarily transformed. The analytical tools facilitated intertextual and discourse meaning connections. Data analysis indicated relevant findings: that the inquiry group provided opportunity for discourses to reproduce and change; that critical moments provided possibilities for transformation; that members did not always recognize these moments for which transformations may have eluded them; that inquiry groups have the potential to be a transforming intuitional practice. In general, findings suggested the need for structures that support, encourage, and engage members in "Self" reflection praxis for personal, and collective transformations, if the status quo is to be interrupted.

In recent decades, reflective practice has become a key driver and an increasingly influential referent in the professional development of student teachers. Yet, the complex, somewhat elusive boundaries of reflective practice make this phenomenon difficult to define. The purpose of this study was to analyse and synthesise existing literature and research in order to better understand the multi-faceted nature of reflective practice. From an informed platform, a new conceptual framework was designed both to capture and investigate nine dimensions of reflective practice in which student teachers could demonstrate capacity and commitment. Eighty year 4 student teachers, who had undertaken action research projects during their final school experience, and thirteen university lecturers, who had guided the student teachers throughout this enterprise, were participants in this study. Data were gathered through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews that incorporated a series of closed and open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analysed to calculate statistical frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations; and, qualitative data via analytic induction methods to identify common themes and to extract narratives of experience. Findings showed that a majority (>90%) of student teachers perceived their capacity and commitment to engage in six dimensions of reflective practice [and most (>80%) in eight] had influenced their professional development. These perceptions were not wholly congruent with those of dissertation supervisors with variance between supervisors also evident. Qualitative distinctions, in the use of three types of reflective conversation, were found between male and female student teachers and within each gender group. Several constraints in the development of student teachers’ reflective practice also emerged. Further research is recommended into: what evidence and criteria shape judgments about reflective practice; how school-based staff might effectively support student teachers’ development of reflective practice; and, how the framework designed for this study might be replicated and refined to enhance reflective practice in personal professional development across disciplines.

Student Number : 9201253K - MEd research report - School of Adult Education - Faculty of Education / This research report investigates the relationship between critical self-evaluation and improved teaching practice. A sample of nine lecturers at the University of the Witwatersrand were identified, and, by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to disclose their attitudes towards performance evaluation as a practice at the University, and their personal views in relation to critical self reflection. Critical reflection involves an appraisal of that which is being reflected upon. When such appraisal involves assumption or presupposition, it “holds major potential for effecting change in one’s established frame of reference (Mezirow, 1998). This reflection leads to improved teaching practice. Lecturers at the University all support the notion of self-evaluation, but in practice only one of the nine participants actively and critically reflected upon his teaching. Most of the subjects sanction self-evaluation as a concept, do not practise critical reflection. The reasons for this are numerous as the conclusions to the study reveal, but most significant is that lecturers do not see any reason to reflect upon their own performance, nor see any benefit in doing so.

A aprendizagem torna-se vital para gestores que atuam em ambientes organizacionais envoltos em mudanças, complexidade, paradoxos e incertezas, permeados por inovações tecnológicas e desafiados por questões éticas, políticas, ambientais e econômicas. Este estudo propõe-se compreender os processos de aprendizagem de gestores e as implicações destas transformações em suas aprendizagens, nele integrando-se a teoria da aprendizagem transformadora, que enfatiza a reflexão crítica e o pensamento autônomo para analisar estas questões. Investigam-se, pela abordagem de história de vida, processos de aprendizagem de sete gestores e suas coletividades, em macrocontextos e em contextos específicos, integrando níveis de interação, aspectos objetivos e subjetivos. Os resultados revelam a interligação entre as aprendizagens ocorridas nos âmbitos profissional, pessoal e familiar, bem como entre desenvolvimento e aprendizagem, ao longo da vida. Destacam-se as aprendizagens envolvendo mudanças de esquemas de significados e transformações de perspectivas em mudanças profundas, além do papel da intuição e da emoção nesses processos. As mudanças contemporâneas que demandam aprendizagens incluem globalização e seus reflexos no contexto brasileiro; novas tecnologias; maior participação das mulheres no mercado de trabalho; responsabilidade sócio-ambiental. A análise das entrevistas dos sujeitos pesquisados evidenciou que estas mudanças implicam novos pensamentos, atitudes e sentimentos, nas carreiras e nos arranjos familiares. Neste movimento, são relevantes aprendizagens autodirigidas, constantes reciclagens de conhecimentos e superação de expectativas para o crescimento profissional. As carências de aprendizagem centram-se na ampliação de competências sociais relacionadas às interações (na gestão de pessoas, na criação e manutenção de networks e no equilíbrio entre as suas esferas de vida); à percepção de mudanças e previsão do futuro; ao autodesenvolvimento de paciência, de tolerância, de confiança e do controle da ansiedade, entre outros aspectos pouco contemplados pela educação gerencial. / Due to change, complexity, paradox and uncertainty in the organizational context, faced with technological innovations and with global ethical, political, environmental and socioeconomic problems, managerial learning becomes vital. The study aims to understand management learning processes and the implications of these transformations in their learning, integrating transformative learning theory, which emphasizes critical thinking and independent thought to analyze these issues. The life history approach is used to investigate processes of learning in macro contexts and in specific contexts, including levels of interaction, objective and subjective aspects of seven managers and their communities. The results show the link between learning occurring at the professional, personal and family levels as well as between development and lifelong learning. The study highlights learning process involving changes in meaning schemes and perspective transformation in deep changes, the role of intuition in complex problems and of emotion in these processes. Contemporary changes that require learning include globalization and its consequences in the Brazilian context, new technologies, the increased participation of women in the labor market and socio-environmental responsibility. These changes involve new thoughts, attitudes and feelings, in careers and family arrangements of the subjects studied. They also emphasize selfdirected learning, constant recycling of knowledge and the overcoming of expectations for professional growth. The learning needs focus on the development of social skills related to interactions (in the management of people, in the creation and maintenance of networks, and in the balance between their spheres of life); to the perception of changes and prediction of the future; to the self-development of patience, tolerance, control of anxiety and selfconfidence among other issues lacking in management education.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Education, 1998. / This case study explores, through critical reflection, the process of a school-based curriculum change (SBCC) and examines to what extent the application of adult education principles facilitates this process. The change is related to three issues: the process of curriculum development; the shift towards professional development based on adult education principles; and the changing role of the consultant in relation to curriculum development. Tire consultant came to realize that in order to promote school based curriculum development it was necessary to work with the head of the department and the teachers in a participative mode, rather than taking a stand as a curriculum development expert. The research findings suggest that in order to apply adult education principles to teachers’ professional development, the consultant needs to move from consultancy based on an expert role towards consultancy based on a process role. The research proposes that professional development based on adult education principles and teamwork could be a promising introduction to a secondorder change promoting a school culture of teamwork and critical reflection. The researcher came to question the appropriateness of a case study based on participant observation as a research methodology in the workplace. She suggests that an action research could be more advantageous to promote a second-order change and could be more in line with adult education principles.

There is a lot of research conducted in the field of general entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial learning, and entrepreneurial innovation. However, as Jason Cope (2003) came across during his research, there is little to none research made within the field of entrepreneurial learning from failure, especially from bankruptcy. The purpose of this thesis is to explore if it is possible forentrepreneurs to obtain “higher-level learning” from a bankruptcy. The research concerns whether or not entrepreneurs can learn from their mistakes, and in turn use this learning in order to become more successful entrepreneur in future undertakings. The thesis contributes to a research project on entrepreneurial response to firm failure, initiated by Anna Jenkins (2008). As stated above, there is little to none research conducted in the field of entrepreneurial learning from a bankruptcy. Therefore theories considered closely and partly related to the subject have been revised. The overarching theory, the “Experiential learning theory” (Kolb, 1984) describes how experience can be transformed into genuine knowledge, through the steps: experiencing an event, reflecting on the event, understanding the principle under which the particular event falls and testing this new understanding under different circumstances. Jason Cope (2003) has found that entrepreneurs can obtain higher-level learning from experiencing discontinuous criticalevents by going through the phases; facing, overcoming and reflecting on events that occur during the running of a firm. This learning can be transformational; the entrepreneur realizes that current methods are insufficient, forcing him or her to adapt and change methods in future undertakings. The main objective in this thesis was not to draw any final conclusions, rather to explore newvaluable information that can be interpreted in the main project as well as in future projects. To gather information we used a qualitative method, in which we interviewed five entrepreneurs who had recently experienced a bankruptcy. The empirical findings were later analyzed in thelight of the frame of references and the authors own viewpoint, by conducting a within case/cross case comparison. The results show that two out of five entrepreneurs had transformed the experience from their bankruptcy into new genuine knowledge, thereby confirming that it is possible to obtain higherlevel learning from a bankruptcy. They realized their own mistakes and changed their methods in order to avoid making the same mistakes again. Three of the respondents had not critically reflected on their bankruptcy, thereby gained no new knowledge of how to change their methods in future undertakings. The major reasons as to why they were unable to do so were that they blamed external factors as the reason for bankruptcy. One of the interviewees was emotionally blocked during the bankruptcy and therefore unable to contemplate what had went wrong. / Det finns mycket forskning inom området entreprenörskap, entreprenöriel inlärning, och entreprenöriel innovation. Däremot finns det, vilket Jason Cope (2003) har upptäckt, lite eller ingen existerande forskning inom området entreprenöriel inlärning från ett misslyckande, som till exempel en konkurs. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att utforska om det är möjligt för entreprenörer att uppnå ”higher-level learning” från en konkurs. Vi ämnar undersöka om entreprenörer kan lära sig av sina misstag och sedan använda dessa lärdomar i framtida projekt i sin strävan mot att bli bättre entreprenörer. Uppsatsen är tänkt som ett bidrag till ett forskningsprojekt om entreprenörers reaktion på företagsmisslyckande, bedriven av Anna Jenkins(2008). Som nämnt ovan finns det knappt någon existerande forskning angående entreprenöriel inlärning från en konkurs, vilket har lett till att de teorier som är relaterade till ämnet har blivit reviderade. Den övergripande teorin, ”The Experiental Learning Theory” (Kolb, 1984) beskriver hur erfarenhet kan bli omvandlad till kunskap genom att följa stegen: aktivt uppleva en händelse,reflektera över händelsen, kunna förstå och analysera händelsen, och slutligen använda sin nya kunskap vid ett senare tillfälle. Jason Cope (2003) har upptäckt att entreprenörer kan nå en ”higher-level learning” genom att uppleva diskontinuerliga kritiska händelser och gå igenom dessafaser: tillmötesgå, övervinna/bemästra och reflektera över händelser som inträffar under företagandets gång. Den här inlärningen kan sedan omvandlas; entreprenören inser att hans nuvarande företagarmetoder inte är optimala, vilket leder honom/henne till att anpassa sig till situationen och ändra sina metoder i framtida projekt. Målsättningen med den här uppsatsen var inte att dra några avgörande slutsatser, utan istället att utforska och behandla ny, värdefull information som kan bli användbar i den avhandling vi önskar bidra till, samt för andra framtida forskningsprojekt. För att samla information använde vi oss av kvalitativa intervjuer. Vi intervjuade fem entreprenörer, vilka alla nyligen hade upplevt en konkurs. Empirin analyserades sedan med hjälp av våra utvalda teorier och våra egna synpunkter, genom att göra en ”cross case comparison”. Vårt resultat visar att två av fem entreprenörer har omvandlat sina upplevelser kring konkursen till genuin kunskap och därmed bekräftat att det är möjligt att uppnå ”higher-level learning” av en konkurs. De har insett sina egna misstag och ändrat sina metoder för att förhindra att samma misstag upprepas. Tre av respondenterna har inte reflekterat kritiskt över konkursen, och därför inte fått någon ny kunskap angående hur de skulle kunna ändra sina metoder inom företagande inför framtida projekt. Den främsta anledningen till varför de var oförmögna att reflektera över händelsen var att de skyllde konkursen främst på externa faktorer. En av de intervjuade var även känslomässigt blockerad under konkursen och därför inkapabel att begrunda sina misstag.

<p>There is a lot of research conducted in the field of general entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial learning, and entrepreneurial innovation. However, as Jason Cope (2003) came across during his research, there is little to none research made within the field of entrepreneurial learning from failure, especially from bankruptcy. The purpose of this thesis is to explore if it is possible forentrepreneurs to obtain “higher-level learning” from a bankruptcy. The research concerns whether or not entrepreneurs can learn from their mistakes, and in turn use this learning in order to become more successful entrepreneur in future undertakings. The thesis contributes to a research project on entrepreneurial response to firm failure, initiated by Anna Jenkins (2008).</p><p>As stated above, there is little to none research conducted in the field of entrepreneurial learning from a bankruptcy. Therefore theories considered closely and partly related to the subject have been revised. The overarching theory, the “Experiential learning theory” (Kolb, 1984) describes how experience can be transformed into genuine knowledge, through the steps: experiencing an event, reflecting on the event, understanding the principle under which the particular event falls and testing this new understanding under different circumstances. Jason Cope (2003) has found that entrepreneurs can obtain higher-level learning from experiencing discontinuous criticalevents by going through the phases; facing, overcoming and reflecting on events that occur during the running of a firm. This learning can be transformational; the entrepreneur realizes that current methods are insufficient, forcing him or her to adapt and change methods in future undertakings.</p><p>The main objective in this thesis was not to draw any final conclusions, rather to explore newvaluable information that can be interpreted in the main project as well as in future projects. To gather information we used a qualitative method, in which we interviewed five entrepreneurs who had recently experienced a bankruptcy. The empirical findings were later analyzed in thelight of the frame of references and the authors own viewpoint, by conducting a within case/cross case comparison.</p><p>The results show that two out of five entrepreneurs had transformed the experience from their bankruptcy into new genuine knowledge, thereby confirming that it is possible to obtain higherlevel learning from a bankruptcy. They realized their own mistakes and changed their methods in order to avoid making the same mistakes again. Three of the respondents had not critically reflected on their bankruptcy, thereby gained no new knowledge of how to change their methods in future undertakings. The major reasons as to why they were unable to do so were that they blamed external factors as the reason for bankruptcy. One of the interviewees was emotionally blocked during the bankruptcy and therefore unable to contemplate what had went wrong.</p> / <p>Det finns mycket forskning inom området entreprenörskap, entreprenöriel inlärning, och entreprenöriel innovation. Däremot finns det, vilket Jason Cope (2003) har upptäckt, lite eller ingen existerande forskning inom området entreprenöriel inlärning från ett misslyckande, som till exempel en konkurs. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att utforska om det är möjligt för entreprenörer att uppnå ”higher-level learning” från en konkurs. Vi ämnar undersöka om entreprenörer kan lära sig av sina misstag och sedan använda dessa lärdomar i framtida projekt i sin strävan mot att bli bättre entreprenörer. Uppsatsen är tänkt som ett bidrag till ett forskningsprojekt om entreprenörers reaktion på företagsmisslyckande, bedriven av Anna Jenkins(2008).</p><p>Som nämnt ovan finns det knappt någon existerande forskning angående entreprenöriel inlärning från en konkurs, vilket har lett till att de teorier som är relaterade till ämnet har blivit reviderade. Den övergripande teorin, ”The Experiental Learning Theory” (Kolb, 1984) beskriver hur erfarenhet kan bli omvandlad till kunskap genom att följa stegen: aktivt uppleva en händelse,reflektera över händelsen, kunna förstå och analysera händelsen, och slutligen använda sin nya kunskap vid ett senare tillfälle. Jason Cope (2003) har upptäckt att entreprenörer kan nå en ”higher-level learning” genom att uppleva diskontinuerliga kritiska händelser och gå igenom dessafaser: tillmötesgå, övervinna/bemästra och reflektera över händelser som inträffar under företagandets gång. Den här inlärningen kan sedan omvandlas; entreprenören inser att hans nuvarande företagarmetoder inte är optimala, vilket leder honom/henne till att anpassa sig till situationen och ändra sina metoder i framtida projekt.</p><p>Målsättningen med den här uppsatsen var inte att dra några avgörande slutsatser, utan istället att utforska och behandla ny, värdefull information som kan bli användbar i den avhandling vi önskar bidra till, samt för andra framtida forskningsprojekt. För att samla information använde vi oss av kvalitativa intervjuer. Vi intervjuade fem entreprenörer, vilka alla nyligen hade upplevt en konkurs. Empirin analyserades sedan med hjälp av våra utvalda teorier och våra egna synpunkter, genom att göra en ”cross case comparison”.</p><p>Vårt resultat visar att två av fem entreprenörer har omvandlat sina upplevelser kring konkursen till genuin kunskap och därmed bekräftat att det är möjligt att uppnå ”higher-level learning” av en konkurs. De har insett sina egna misstag och ändrat sina metoder för att förhindra att samma misstag upprepas. Tre av respondenterna har inte reflekterat kritiskt över konkursen, och därför inte fått någon ny kunskap angående hur de skulle kunna ändra sina metoder inom företagande inför framtida projekt. Den främsta anledningen till varför de var oförmögna att reflektera över händelsen var att de skyllde konkursen främst på externa faktorer. En av de intervjuade var även känslomässigt blockerad under konkursen och därför inkapabel att begrunda sina misstag.</p><p> </p>

Although university supervisors have a responsibility to prepare apprentice teachers to become culturally responsive special educators, supervisors themselves may not be qualified or have the requisite experience and training to do so (Jacobs, 2006). Additionally, little is known about how to effectively mentor preservice teachers to engage in critically reflective practice and how to foster culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy (CLRP) to meet the needs of all learners (Athanases et al. 2008; Grant & Zozakiewicz, 1995). Specifically, there is a lack of teacher education research about the specific nature and quality of supervisory conversations that foster critical reflection among special educators who serve exceptional students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This study was designed to (a) understand how supervisors engage in supervisory conferences to promote student teachers' critical reflection about CLRP and (b) identify contextual factors that appear to influence the nature and quality of discussions about CLRP in these conversations. Three university supervisors and their five special education student teachers were the participants for this research. Using an interpretivist, qualitative approach, several layers of inductive analysis were applied to multiple data sources: Content analysis was used to examine lesson plans, observation notes, and supervisory conversations for evidence of understanding and application of CLRP. Discourse analysis methods allowed for examination of supervisory conferences: interactional sociolinguistics to understand which participants initiated discussions about CLRP, how these discussions evolved, and tensions around these topics; and pragmatics to understand what types of prompts, statements and questions generated or scaffolded critical thinking in preservice teachers. Instrumental case study methodology was then applied to supervisor-student teacher dyads to identify emergent themes. Findings revealed that discussions about CLRP emerged between each supervisor -- student teacher pair, perhaps due to the presence of a supervisory conference guide. Supervisors used a variety of prompts to engage student teachers in technical, descriptive and dialogic levels; however, critical reflection was not demonstrated in this study. Supervisors seemed underprepared in the skills required to foster a stance of critical reflection in their student teachers. Implications for the preparation of university supervisors and special education teacher education research are presented. / text

This study used explanatory mixed methods to examine the effects of two computer-based reflection writing scaffolds, question prompts and writing process display, on preservice teachers’ levels of reflection in their online reflective journal writing. The scaffolds were embedded in a system simulating the Professional Accountability Support System Using a Portal Approach (PASS-PORT). The outcome measure was the level of reflection achieved in participants’ writing. The researcher collected data at the College of Education of a major southern university in the United States. Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in a technology integration course in fall 2007. Sixty-five preservice teachers participated in quantitative phase of the study; sixteen out of the 65 preservice teachers were purposefully selected to participate in qualitative phase of the study. The majority of the preservice teachers were white females between the ages of 20-29 in their junior year. During the quantitative phase of the study, participants in control group and two treatment groups were randomly and evenly assigned to one of three different Web pages associated with their treatment conditions. The participants reflected on a critical incident that happened during their practical teaching. Two raters, blind to the participants’ treatment conditions, coded the highest level of reflection achieved in their writing samples using the reflection rubric developed by Ward and McCotter (2004). The researcher employed ANOVA to assess the group differences in the highest level of reflection reached and in the length of the reflective writing in the number of words. The alpha level was set at .05 for all analyses. During the qualitative phase, the researcher conducted open-ended interviews with the participants as a follow-up to their reflection writing. The participants’ reflection writings and interviews served as data sources. Miles and Huberman's (1994) data analysis procedures guided the qualitative data analysis. The quantitative results indicated that computer-based scaffolds significantly enhanced preservice teachers’ levels of reflection in their online journal writing. Preservice teachers who used the scaffolds wrote longer reflection than those in the control group. Correlation analysis revealed that there was a positive relationship between the level of reflection and the length of journal writing. Three overarching factors emerged from the qualitative data analysis that explained how and why the computer-based scaffolds enhanced their reflective journal writing. The factors included (a) the specific requirements conveyed in the scaffolds; (b) the structure of the scaffolds; and (c) the use of the critical incidents to anchor reflective journal writing. How to improve preservice teachers’ critical reflection capability and skills remains an actively debated topic. Recent years have witnessed an emergence of research and development in Web-based educational systems to help prepare highly qualified teacher candidates. However, the articulative/reflective attribute of meaningful learning does not seem to be evident in most of these systems. Although there is considerable research on the potential for embedding scaffolds in technology-enhanced learning environments, mechanisms intended to facilitate reflective practice in such environments also seems to be lacking. In order to help fill this gap, it is hoped that the analyses and results of the current study can be used as a building block for research on how to leverage the affordances of computer-based scaffolds to enhance preservice teachers’ reflective practice in technology-enhanced educational systems.