'When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets." "But you," he said, "who do you, say I am?" Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew, 16: 13-16)'. This thesis reports the findings of an empirical study conducted in England investigating young people's conceptions of Jesus. The study, which adopted a qualitative approach, employed an open ended questionnaire completed by over five hundred students, and follow up semi-structured interviews with twenty four of those students. Findings from this study confirmed those of previous studies in the field (Alves, 1968; Astley & Francis, 1996; Claerhout & Declercq, 1970; Cox, 1967; Francis & Astley, 1997; Hyde, 1965; Loukes, 1961; Madge, 1965, 1971; Savin-Williams, 1977). As in previous research, the majority of young people in this sample expressed generally favourable views towards Jesus; emphasised Jesus’ humanity rather than his divinity; and expressed reservations regarding the miracles of Jesus and the reliability of the Gospel accounts. In addition, this study extended the findings of previous studies by demonstrating that the conceptions of Jesus held by participants were largely determined by their predominantly scientific and positivist world-views. Moreover, responses from young people participating in this study indicated that students were often unaware that the views they held were contingent and grounded in particular ontological and epistemological assumptions. So whilst religious beliefs were subject to critical scrutiny, the assumptions underpinning the students’ own positions were not. Consequently, this thesis argues that to engage fully with the beliefs of others, students need to be more cognisant of the principles underlying their own beliefs, religious or otherwise. Furthermore, drawing upon the hermeneutical framework of Hans-George Gadamer (2004), this thesis proposes that commitment to genuine dialogue should be at the heart of contemporary religious education. Finally, this thesis concludes by making recommendations for future research in religious education.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-12-04Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:47:05Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 costa_mcc_me_arafcl.pdf: 796917 bytes, checksum: 9220ad481daaa606cd758f853f09ef02 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A presente pesquisa expõe de forma crítica o pensamento de Célestin Freinet, especificamente no que diz respeito a sua concepção de homem, sociedade e educação, mostrando que seus ideais apontam para uma concepção de sociedade e de ser humano na qual a defesa e o respeito à individualidade da criança vêm contribuir para mascarar a impotência do capitalismo em realizar o processo de humanização do indivíduo. Demonstramos que apesar de propor a superação do movimento da escola tradicional e da Escola Nova, a sua proposta de educação popular não consegue ir além da crítica radical ao ensino tradicional, aderindo contraditoriamente ao ideário escolanovista. Pontuamos também um descompasso entre a teoria política e a teoria pedagógica presentes na proposta do autor, pois, ao analisarmos a sua concepção de homem e sociedade, deparamo-nos com uma concepção política de cunho marxista. Já ao analisarmos sua concepção de desenvolvimento infantil e ensino-aprendizagem, percebemos continuidades em relação ao movimento escolanovista. Desta forma, podemos inferir que a proposta do autor traz como pano de fundo uma pedagogia difusora dos ideais presentes nas correntes pedagógicas liberal-burguesas. A importância da pesquisa justifica-se pelo significado que a Proposta de Pedagogia Popular de Célestin Freinet representa para a educação, uma vez que a difusão da sua proposta implica determinada concepção de formação do ser humano e de sociedade. A relevância dessa afirmação reside, entre outros, no fato de ela apontar para a necessidade da realização de um estudo do processo histórico-político mais amplo que configure a sociedade no período de sua produção. Consideramos por fim, ser de vital importância resgatar o estudo dos clássicos da educação, tais como Célestin Freinet uma vez que há uma imensa carência de estudos a respeito dos mesmos... / The present research exposes in a critical way Célestin Freinet's thought, specifically what he tells about his man, society and education conceptions, showing that his ideas reveal a conception of society and of human being in the which the defense and the respect to the child's individuality come to contribute to mask the impotence of the capitalism in accomplishing the process of the individual's humanization. We demonstrated that in spite of overcoming the traditional school movement and the New School, his popular education proposal doesn't get to surpass the radical critic to the traditional teaching, adhering to the escolanovista ideals instead. We also punctuated the unbalance between the political and the pedagogic theory in the author's proposal, because, for us, his man and society conceptions are based up on a political conception of Marxist stamp. And when we analyze his conceptions of infantile development and teaching-learning, we noticed links to the escolanovista movement. This way, we can infer that the author's proposal brings as a backdrop a pedagogy that reveals the ideals present in the liberal-bourgeois pedagogic currents. The importance of the research is justified for the meaning that the Proposal of Popular Pedagogy of Célestin Freinet acts for the education, once the diffusion of his proposal implicates certain conception of the human being formation and of society. The relevance of that statement lies on the fact that it points the need of the accomplishment of a study of the wider historical-political process than it configures the society in the period of his production. Finally we considered vital to rescue the classic authors of the education study, such like Célestin Freinet, once there is an immense lack of studies regarding the same ones, so that we can disclose the character of innovation that is presented in the current speeches... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Alessandra Arce / Banca: José Luís Sanfelice / Banca: Rosa Fátima de Souza / Resumo: A presente pesquisa expõe de forma crítica o pensamento de Célestin Freinet, especificamente no que diz respeito a sua concepção de homem, sociedade e educação, mostrando que seus ideais apontam para uma concepção de sociedade e de ser humano na qual a defesa e o respeito à individualidade da criança vêm contribuir para mascarar a impotência do capitalismo em realizar o processo de humanização do indivíduo. Demonstramos que apesar de propor a superação do movimento da escola tradicional e da Escola Nova, a sua proposta de educação popular não consegue ir além da crítica radical ao ensino tradicional, aderindo contraditoriamente ao ideário escolanovista. Pontuamos também um descompasso entre a teoria política e a teoria pedagógica presentes na proposta do autor, pois, ao analisarmos a sua concepção de homem e sociedade, deparamo-nos com uma concepção política de cunho marxista. Já ao analisarmos sua concepção de desenvolvimento infantil e ensino-aprendizagem, percebemos continuidades em relação ao movimento escolanovista. Desta forma, podemos inferir que a proposta do autor traz como pano de fundo uma pedagogia difusora dos ideais presentes nas correntes pedagógicas liberal-burguesas. A importância da pesquisa justifica-se pelo significado que a Proposta de Pedagogia Popular de Célestin Freinet representa para a educação, uma vez que a difusão da sua proposta implica determinada concepção de formação do ser humano e de sociedade. A relevância dessa afirmação reside, entre outros, no fato de ela apontar para a necessidade da realização de um estudo do processo histórico-político mais amplo que configure a sociedade no período de sua produção. Consideramos por fim, ser de vital importância resgatar o estudo dos clássicos da educação, tais como Célestin Freinet uma vez que há uma imensa carência de estudos a respeito dos mesmos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present research exposes in a critical way Célestin Freinet's thought, specifically what he tells about his man, society and education conceptions, showing that his ideas reveal a conception of society and of human being in the which the defense and the respect to the child's individuality come to contribute to mask the impotence of the capitalism in accomplishing the process of the individual's humanization. We demonstrated that in spite of overcoming the traditional school movement and the New School, his popular education proposal doesn't get to surpass the radical critic to the traditional teaching, adhering to the escolanovista ideals instead. We also punctuated the unbalance between the political and the pedagogic theory in the author's proposal, because, for us, his man and society conceptions are based up on a political conception of Marxist stamp. And when we analyze his conceptions of infantile development and teaching-learning, we noticed links to the escolanovista movement. This way, we can infer that the author's proposal brings as a backdrop a pedagogy that reveals the ideals present in the liberal-bourgeois pedagogic currents. The importance of the research is justified for the meaning that the Proposal of Popular Pedagogy of Célestin Freinet acts for the education, once the diffusion of his proposal implicates certain conception of the human being formation and of society. The relevance of that statement lies on the fact that it points the need of the accomplishment of a study of the wider historical-political process than it configures the society in the period of his production. Finally we considered vital to rescue the classic authors of the education study, such like Célestin Freinet, once there is an immense lack of studies regarding the same ones, so that we can disclose the character of innovation that is presented in the current speeches... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Abstract Good day-nursery education and its development require increased participation by the parents in the planning, implementation and evaluation of their children's day-care process. It is therefore the purpose of the current study to interpret and understand the conceptions of education held by the mothers of day-nursery children and their assessments of good day-nursery education. The theoretical frame of reference of this study is based on an existential-phenomenological approach to education and the holistic conception of man outlined by Rauhala (1983). The research data consists of individual and pair interviews with seven mothers selected in three day nurseries, and of their written evaluations of the summaries of these interviews. The data analysis made use of content analysis and an interpretational approach aiming at understanding meanings on the basis of wholes of thought. The Nud*ist analysis software was used as a technical tool. The study shows that the educational conceptions of the mothers of day-nursery children conform to the phenomenological approach to education. Their conception of the child focuses on individuality, the importance of the development of emotional life and self-esteem, as well as active subjectivity. The mothers have a mainly positive view on the possibilities of the day-nursery staff to support these areas of development. Their conceptions of the goals of education span between individual subjectivity and collectivity. The goals are crystallised in the individual who is a creative survivor capable of realising human dignity many-sidedly in relation to self and others. Day-nursery education is often a conscious choice by the parents to achieve these goals, although those interviewed also intervene in the social influences received by their children if necessary. The conceptions of the educational relationship and methods focus on a confidential and caring relationship in which open authority enables a genuine dialogue that creates something new between the child and adult. A democratic community of adults is also a source of modeling for the child. On this basis the personnel is authorised by the parents to act on behalf of the child. The conceptions of educational collaboration are based on the primary educational responsibility of the parents, and therein on the realisation of the parent's existential needs. Successful collaboration requires the parents to be well enough informed of day-nursery education and to have a positive emotional relationship with the day nursery and the child's educational situation. The parent also needs to have the opportunity to be fully involved in the child's educational process. The collaboration is mostly felt to support parenthood, but crisis situations may also cause value conflicts between the parents and staff. The results would suggest that knowledge and understanding of the parents' educational conceptions would promote the professionals' efforts to consider the differences between families and support educational companionship. In this way the parents' involvement would also be reinforced in terms of joint planning and evaluation in day-nursery education. The parents' ideas would thus also be conveyed to early childhood education planners and decision-makers to support them in their work. / Tiivistelmä Hyvän päiväkotikasvatuksen ja sen kehittämisen edellytys on vanhempien osallisuuden vahvistaminen lapsen päivähoitoprosessin suunnittelussa, toteuttamisessa ja arvioinnissa. Tästä syystä tämän tutkimuksen tehtävänä on tulkita ja ymmärtää päiväkotilasten äitien kasvatuskäsityksiä sekä heidän arviointiaan päiväkotikasvatuksesta. Tutkimuksen teoreettisen viitekehyksen perustana on eksistentiaalis-fenomenologinen lähtökohta kasvatuksessa ja Rauhalan (1983) määrittelemä holistinen ihmiskäsitys. Tutkimusaineisto koostuu kolmesta päiväkodista valittujen seitsemän äidin yksilö- ja parihaastatteluista sekä kirjallisista arvioinneista, joita he antoivat haastatteluidensa tiivistelmistä. Aineiston analyysissä on sovellettu sisällönanalyysiä ja tulkinnallista otetta, joka pyrkii ajatuskokonaisuuksien pohjalta merkitysten ymmärtämiseen. Teknisenä apuvälineenä on käytetty Nud*ist-analyysiohjelmaa. Tutkimuksen tuloksena päiväkotilasten äitien kasvatuskäsitykset myötäilevät eksistentiaalis-fenomenologista lähestymistapaa kasvatuksessa. Käsitys lapsesta painottaa yksilöllisyyttä, tunne-elämän ja itsetunnon kehityksen tärkeyttä sekä aktiivista subjektiutta. äideillä on pääosin positiivinen käsitys päiväkodin henkilöstön mahdollisuuksista tukea näitä kehityksen alueita. Käsitykset kasvatustavoitteista keskittyvät yksilöllisen subjektiuden ja yhteisöllisyyden jännevälille. Tavoitteet kiteytyvät yksilöön, joka on luova selviytyjä ja kykenee toteuttamaan monipuolista ihmisarvoa suhteessa itseensä ja muihin ihmisiin. Päiväkotikasvatus on usein vanhempien tietoinen valinta näiden tavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi, joskin haastatellut myös puuttuvat tarvittaessa lapsensa saamiin sosiaalisiin vaikutteisiin. Käsitykset kasvatussuhteesta ja -menetelmistä painottavat luottamuksellista ja välittävää kasvatussuhdetta, jossa avoin auktoriteetti mahdollistaa aidon ja uutta luovan dialogin lapsen ja aikuisen välillä. Demokraattinen aikuisyhteisö on myös lapsen mallioppimisen lähde. Tältä pohjalta henkilöstöllä on vanhempien valtuutus toimia lapsen valtuutettuna. Käsitykset kasvatusyhteistyöstä nojaavat vanhempien ensisijaiseen kasvatusvastuuseen ja siinä vanhemman eksistentiaalisten tarpeiden toteutumiseen. Onnistunut yhteistyö edellyttää vanhemman riittävää tietotasoa päiväkotikasvatuksesta sekä tunnetasolla myönteistä kokemusta vanhemman omasta suhteesta päiväkotiin samoin kuin lapsen kasvatustilanteesta. Osallistumisen tasolla vanhemman tulee saada vaikuttaa lapsensa kasvatusprosessiin. Pääsääntöisesti yhteistyö on koettu vanhemmuutta tukevana. Kriisitilanteet kuitenkin saattavat nostaa esiin myös arvoristiriitoja vanhempien ja henkilöstön välillä. Tulokset antavat viitteitä siitä, että vanhempien kasvatuskäsitysten tunteminen ja ymmärtäminen voisivat parantaa ammattilaisten työtä perheiden erilaisuuden huomioimisessa ja tukea kasvatuskumppanuutta. Tällöin myös vanhempien osallisuus vahvistuisi yhteisenä suunnitteluna ja arviointina päiväkotikasvatuksessa. Vanhempien käsitykset tulisivat näin artikuloiduiksi myös varhaiskasvatuksen suunnittelijoiden ja päättäjien työn tueksi.

For decades, urban public schools have been plagued by systemic and structural challenges that continue today. Scholars, policymakers, and the general public have pointed to problems of learning in urban schools and to low expectations for urban students' learning, but little attention has been given to how urban students themselves conceptualize learning. This study sought to fill the void by asking a group of urban students about their views of learning. A phenomenographic approach was employed to examine the qualitatively different ways in which 20 urban elementary fifth-grade students expressed their conceptions of learning and of their learning approaches. Consistent with phenomenography, the study was intended to understand the collective expressions of individuals' conceptions regarding a phenomenon, and emphasis was on the mapping of variation across the conceptions. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, conducted individually, elicited the students' conceptions of the meaning of learning and their learning approaches. In a "search for meaning" approach, analyses were based on students' transcribed responses forming a pool of quotations. These quotations were divided first into "what" and "how" categories—"what" is learning and "how" does learning occur—and then into subcategories. The results were a set of categories organized in a two-level hierarchy. The three "what" conceptions were as follows: learning as increasing knowledge, learning as growing as a person, and learning as applying knowledge. The three "how" conceptions were the following: learning by persevering, learning by using active learning strategies, and learning by participating in social interactions. These conceptions comprised an outcome space representing the six different ways that these urban school students expressed their conceptions of learning inside and outside of school contexts. Whereas much attention in the educational literature has been directed to teachers setting high expectations for urban students, students in this study seemed to be setting high expectations for themselves, which included college and career. Although prior research has pointed to a need for urban students to develop more positive mindsets regarding engagement and motivation, students in this study tended to express some major metacognitive insights into their own learning. Educational implications are suggested based on the findings.