The purpose of this study was to gather insights about the thoughts, feelings, and knowledge children had about the skill of throwing. Interviews, conducted with 54 children enrolled in two different schools, served as the primary data collection source. Information concerning their knowledge of the biomechanical throwing cues was gathered using a written test. The children were involved in two different physical education programs. One physical education program was taught using the skills theme approach and the other used a traditional approach. Questions guiding the study included asking the children how they felt about how they were learning to throw, what they liked and disliked about their throwing experiences in their physical education classes, and how important they thought it was to learn to throw. Children were also asked to describe and demonstrate the correct way to throw a ball. Assertions were formed using interpretive research. These assertions framed and organized the results section of the study. Results indicated that the children taught using the skills themes approach were more knowledgeable about the skill of throwing and they attributed their throwing knowledge to their physical education teacher. The children taught using a traditional approach showed little knowledge about throwing and they relied on others, not their physical education teacher, to teach them about throwing. Additional results revealed that all of the children said throwing was an important skill to learn and the way to improve throwing performance was to practice. Implications for teaching throwing are offered. / Master of Science

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two different approaches to presenting content during a sport module in physical education on the movement competence and self-esteem of children ages 11 - 12. One approach consisted of competitive activities and the other approach consisted of cooperative activities and cooperative learning. The following measurement criteria were selected to assess movement competence: response time, coincident timing, eye-hand coordination (throwing and catching) and eye-hand coordination (striking). Harter’s (1982) Perceived Competence Scale for Children was used to measure children’s perceptions their competence in terms of cognitive, social and physical competence and general self-esteem. Pre-tests were administered to a competitive activities group (n=14), a cooperative activities group (n=14) and a control group (n=25). Following a10-week intervention programme, the competitive group achieved significant improvements in response time and eye-hand coordination (striking). The cooperative group improved significantly in their response time. There were no significant improvements in the control group. None of the groups demonstrated significant changes in perceptions of cognitive, social or physical competence or on general self-esteem. This study concluded that participation in cooperative activities as well as competitive activities can help children develop their movement competence. Approaches to the development of positive self-perceptions and self-esteem still require further research. Neither the nature of competitive activities nor cooperative activities seemed sufficient to produce changes.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

融合教育（Inclusive Education）是20世紀90年代興起的國際教育思潮。隨著各國對於教育平等的追求，融合教育的理念得到了世界各國的認可。許多國家亦積極將融合教育的思想付諸實踐。隨著融合教育在世界範圍內的發展，越來越多身心障礙的學生走進普通學校，與同儕一起接受普通教育，包括體育教育。在此發展情境之下，瞭解普通學校中體育老師對融合體育教育的看法以及他們如何應對融入身心障礙學生的體育課堂，對於促進融合體育教育在一般體育課堂當中的發展就變得非常重要。本論文的研究目的分為：（一）探討體育教師對融合體育的認知以及影響這些認知形成的因素；（二）探討體育教師對以情境教學方法促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和實際教學行為。 / 以社會文化建構理論（Vygotsky, 1978, 1986）為理論基礎，研究一（第三章）旨在探討香港中學體育教師對融合體育教育的認知。通過質性半結構訪談方法（Patton, 2002）對八位香港中學體育教師（男=3，女=5）進行訪談；訪談資料被錄音，記錄，檢驗，並通過內容分析方法（Patton, 2002）進行分析和描述性闡述。研究結果為：（一）老師們一致認為融合體育教育的實施為身心障礙學生提供了與同儕平等的機會來接受一般體育教育；並強調此舉將特別有助於發展其社會交往能力。然而，老師們亦強調將身心障礙學生融入一般體育課堂的過程遇到諸多困難。這些困難來自教師自身在實施融合體育課程中缺乏能力與有效方法，課堂其他同輩消極的態度與欺淩，缺乏家長支持，以及缺乏特殊體育器材的支持等；（二）老師們表達了對處理融合體育教育實踐專業知識與培訓的渴求，希望能夠以更專業更有效的方法令到身心障礙學生獲得有意義的一般學校體育教育。研究結果表明為促進融合體育教育順利實施，相關責任人（如教師和其同事，身心障礙學生家長，管理者）之間需要更加頻繁、更加有效率的溝通，參與和協作。研究結果亦突顯了促進教師自我規制以提高其教授身心障礙學生的能力和自信心的三個因素，包括：考量大學體育教育中有關教授身心障礙學生的內容，增加教師關於融合教育在職培訓中有關體育教育的內容，和促進或增加與教學助理的協作。 / 紮根於情境學習理論當中的實踐社群概念（Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998），研究二認為，“將身心障礙學生融入一般體育課堂“，不單只是強調令身心障礙學生學習並獲得運動技巧，更強調這是一個令到身心障礙學生參與並投入一般體育課堂活動機會增加的過程。情境學習理論連同計畫行為理論中信念框架作為理論基礎，研究二探討了教師對促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和教學行為。研究二採納質化個案研究策略（Patton, 2002; Yin, 2009），使用訪談，觀察，實物分析等多種研究手段針對四位中學體育教師（男=3，女=1）對“促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動的信念和實際教學行為，進行描述，探討、描述、分析和檢驗。研究結果表明：（一）教師對於促進身心障礙學生參與一般體育課堂活動持積極態度。教師亦視自身為促進者角色，來為身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂當中的學習提供幫助。教師認為給予積極回饋，稱呼名字，肢體接觸，更多的演示，將動作分解，都有利於身心障礙學生更多參與活動；教師亦強調班容量過大，自身缺乏信心，專業知識與能力都成為促進身心障礙學生參與活動的阻礙因素；（二）教師和身心障礙學生之間缺乏互動；在教學過程中很少強調身心障礙學生與其他同儕交流合作的重要性。教師在教學中未嘗試教學方法令到身心障礙學生想像和真實地參與其他體育社群活動。研究結果突顯了體育教師本身對於促進身心障礙學生參與體育課堂活動的信念和其具體的教學行為，對身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂中學習與經歷所產生的的重要的影響作用。研究建議教師應基於學習理論角度，從建構情境學習模式（參與，想像，一致）出發來考慮和設計教學，以促進身心障礙學生積極參與一般體育課堂活動。 / 綜上所述，通過檢視體育教師對融合體育教學的認知，融合體育教學信念和實際教學行為，本研究揭示了融合體育教與學的複雜性。研究認為：身心障礙學生在一般體育課堂的學習與經歷是一個社會性的，實踐性的，和與同輩互動的參與過程。此過程通過身心障礙學生，一般學生和體育教師及其他參與此過程的人員的身份的認同而得到不斷的創建。研究建議：體育教師和教育機構應重新審視“將身心障礙生融入一般體育課堂這個主題概念。通過重新認知融合體育課堂社會構建的本質，即在實踐社群中創建和認同不同參與者的身份，以此來進行融合體育教學的設計與實踐，從而達到融合體育教育的理想效果。 / In the pursuit of educational equality, many countries have applied the philosophy and practice of inclusive education since the1990s. As a result, there are more students with disabilities in general education classrooms, including general physical education (PE) classes. Therefore, the purposes of this study are (1) to examine the perceptions of teachers on inclusive PE and identity the factors influenced their perceptions, and (2) to examine teachers’ beliefs and practices on the use of constructivist teaching methods on students with disabilities in general PE. / Adopting the social constructivism theory (Vygotsky, 1978, 1986), the first study in Chapter Three examined the perceptions of PE teachers concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE programs in Hong Kong secondary schools. Eight secondary PE teachers (F = 5, M = 3) were recruited for individual semi-structured interviews. Data gathered from the interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts underwent content analysis and were presented as descriptive summaries. Two themes emerged: (1) favorable, but encountering barriers, and (2) enhancing one’s professional knowledge and collective experience. Results indicated that the teachers acknowledged the benefits of inclusive PE, but they also expressed concern about the instructional and environment barriers to the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE programs. The findings clearly demonstrate the need for more frequent and efficient communication, involvement, and collaboration among stakeholders involved (e.g., teachers and their peers, parents of students with disabilities, administrators) in inclusive PE. The findings also illustrate the important influences of initial training of Physical Education-Teacher Education program relevant to teaching students with disabilities, inclusive education in-service training specific to PE, and collaborations with teaching assistants in promoting the self-regulation of teachers and improving their competencies and confidence in teaching inclusive PE. / Ground in the notion of “community of practice“ of situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998), the second study understands the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE as a process which not only focus on skill acquisition, but also pay more attention to increase participation of students with disabilities in the classroom activities of the general PE classroom communities. Based on the situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) in conjunction with the components of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), the second study in Chapter Four examined the beliefs and practices of four secondary PE teachers (F = 1, M = 3) regarding promoting the participation of students with disabilities in general PE using a qualitative case study approach (Pattoon, 2002; Yin, 200p). The results revealed the following: (1) The teachers varied in their beliefs about the degree of difficulty in promoting the participation and engagement of students with disabilities in the PE lessons, although they had positive attitudes towards constructivist teaching inclusive PE. According to the teachers, this facilitation involved giving positive feedback, calling the first names of students with disabilities, physical interaction, additional demonstrations, and breaking down skills into various parts. The teachers also specified negative factors, such as large class size, lack of personnel resources, and lack of professional knowledge. (2) Teachers and students with disabilities were less engaged with each other mutually. Moreover, the teachers offered very few opportunities for mutual engagement of students with disabilities in general PE. Thus, social interactions of students with disabilities in general PE were not well established. Teachers in this study did not exert effort to make students with disabilities to imagine taking part in other PE communities in a broader context. In addition, teachers did not push the boundaries of the inclusive PE communities, and make students with disabilities really interact in other PE communities. The study highlights the importance of the situated learning theory on teachers’ beliefs and practices on teaching students with disabilities. Teachers are expected to consider teaching practices to increase the participation of students with disabilities from the modes of learning architecture of the situated learning (i.e., engagement, imagination, and alignment). / In conclusion, by demonstrating the complex process of inclusive PE, this study argues that the experiences of students with disabilities in general PE need to be seen as a socially constructed and negotiated process through which the identities of PE students--with or without disabilities--and teachers are constantly created. The study exhorts teachers and educational institutions to rethink current notions concerning the inclusion of students with disabilities in general PE, and to work toward inclusive practices by recognizing the socially constructed nature of inclusive PE classroom interaction and participation and critically examining the roles and identities constructed by different participants in the inclusive PE classroom community. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Qi, Jing. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-222). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOLEDGEMENTS --- p.vi / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.viii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- INTRODUTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Questions --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Operational Definitions --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Inclusion --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Physical Education --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- General Physical Education --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Inclusive Physical Education --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Students with Disabilities --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.6 --- Perceptions --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.7 --- Beliefs --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.8 --- Practices --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4 --- Limitations --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5 --- Delimitations --- p.13 / Chapter 1.6 --- Significance of the Study --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1 --- Inclusion --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Disability Inclusion and Global Development --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Hong Kong Context --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Inclusive Education Development. --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- The Whole-School Approach to Inclusive Education --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2.3 --- Physical Education in Hong Kong --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Research on Inclusive Education --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Inclusion in Physical Education --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.4.1 --- Stakeholders Perspectives --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.4.2 --- Impacts on Students without Disabilities --- p.38 / Chapter 2.1.4.3 --- Experiences of Students with Disabilities --- p.38 / Chapter 2.1.4.4 --- Effective Inclusion in Physical Education --- p.43 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Summary --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2 --- Teacher Perceptions of Inclusive Physical Education --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Teacher Attitudes and Views of Inclusion Research: Theoretical Perspectives and Debates --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Teacher Perceptions Construction: A Social Constructivist Perspective --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Overview of Learning and Cognition Theories --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Overview of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Teacher Perceptions of Inclusive Physical Education: A Social Constructivist Perspective --- p.64 / Chapter 2.3 --- Teacher Practices in Inclusive Physical Education --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Teacher Implementations of Inclusion Research: Theoretical Perspectives and Debate --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Learning and Teaching in Inclusive Physical Education: A Situated Learning Perspective --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Overview of situated learning theory --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Situated Learning Theory in Physical Education --- p.73 / Chapter 2.3.2.3 --- Inclusion Practice in Inclusive Physical Education: A Situated Learning Perspective --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- PERCEPTIONS OF PHYSICAL EDUCAITON TEACHERS ON THE INCLUSION OF STUDETNS WITH DISABILITIES --- p.89 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2 --- Theoretical Framework --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Definition of the Perception --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism --- p.91 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Applications of Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism in this Study --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3 --- Methods --- p.94 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Participants --- p.94 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Data Collection --- p.96 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Data Analysis --- p.97 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Trustworthiness --- p.100 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.104 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Favorable, but Encountering Barriers --- p.104 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Enhancing one’s Professional Knowledge and Collective Experience --- p.110 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.112 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Communication, Involvement, and Collaboration --- p.112 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Promoting Teacher’s Self-regulation --- p.115 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Perceived Relevance --- p.119 / Chapter 3.6 --- Conclusions and Limitations --- p.119 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- USING SITUATED LEARNING THEORY TO FACILITATE THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION --- p.122 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2 --- Theoretical Underpinnings --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Situated Learning: A Constructivist Approach to Inclusive PE --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Beliefs of Teachers --- p.129 / Chapter 4.3 --- Methods --- p.133 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Research Design --- p.133 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Settings and Participants --- p.134 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Data Collection --- p.135 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Data Analysis --- p.145 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Trustworthiness --- p.149 / Chapter 4.4 --- RESULTS --- p.150 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Case 1: Lisa --- p.150 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Case 2: John --- p.159 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Case 3: Tom --- p.166 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Case 4: Peter --- p.171 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion --- p.179 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Teacher Beliefs of Constructivist Teaching Students with Disabilities --- p.179 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Link to Situated Learning: Teacher Practices of Teaching Students with Disabilities --- p.184 / Chapter 4.5.2.1 --- Mutual Engagement --- p.185 / Chapter 4.5.2.2 --- Imagination --- p.188 / Chapter 4.5.2.3 --- Alignment --- p.189 / Chapter 4.6 --- Conclusions and Limitations --- p.189 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.192 / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary --- p.192 / Chapter 5.2 --- Conclusions --- p.193 / Chapter 5.3 --- Implications --- p.195 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Implications for Future Practice --- p.195 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Directions for Future Research --- p.199 / REFERENCES --- p.202 / Chapter Appendix A --- DESCRIPTIONS OF DISABILITIES --- p.223 / Chapter Appendix B --- INFORMED CONSENT LETTER FOR TEACHERS --- p.224 / Chapter Appendix C --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR FORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS ON THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF INCLUSION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION --- p.225 / Chapter Appendix D --- INFORMED CONSENT LETTER FOR TEACHERS --- p.226 / Chapter Appendix E --- INTERVIEW GIIDE AND SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR FORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE TEACHERS --- p.228 / Chapter Appendix F --- AIPE-T Record Table --- p.229 / Chapter Appendix G --- AIPE-S Record Table --- p.230 / Chapter Appendix H --- SOFIT Record Table --- p.231 / Chapter Appendix I --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES --- p.235 / Chapter Appendix J --- INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES --- p.235

In this critical evaluation of the National Policy on Religion and Education (Republic of South Africa 2003) , I will invite a multiplicity of voices and opinions from various disciplines and discourses - a Bakhtinian carnival of heteroglossic play . As opposed to the official feast, one might say that carnival celebrated temporary liberation from the prevailing truth and from the established order; it marked the suspension of all hierarchal rank, privileges, norms, and prohibitions. Carnival was the true feast of time, the feast of becoming, change, renewal. It was hostile to all that was immortalised and completed (Bakhtin 1984:10). In this time of postmodern carnival, official 'Truth' is constantly questioned and treated with suspicion and replaced by new and unofficial truths (Scott 1986; Hiebert 2003). God (if not religion) has been proclaimed dead and yet at the same time seems to be more alive than ever. This is a time when 'all the conventional norms and protocols are suspended, as the common life is invaded by a great wave of riotous antinomianism which makes everywhere for bizarre mésalliances' (Scott 1986:6). And the presiding spirit of blasphemy finds its quintessential expression in the ritual of the mock crowning and subsequent decrowning of the carnival king - who is the very antithesis of a real king, since he is in fact often a slave or a jester. In short, everything is topsy-turvy, and the disarray thus engenders an uproarious kind of laughter (Scott 1986:6). In his presidential address to the American Academy of Religion in 1986 titled 'The house of intellect in an age of carnival: some hermeneutical reflections', Scott (1986:7) explores the impact of the "multiplicity and fragmentation and diversity" facing 'the house of intellect', and identifies the challenge of not resorting to the safety of 'any sort of reductionism, [but] how to understand and interpret the multitudinous messages and voices that press in upon us, each clamouring for attention and for pride of place'. After acknowledging the polyphony surrounding Religionswissenschaft on the one hand and on the other hand rejecting any hermeneutical attempts at a 'totalistic' synthesis, Scott proposes moving among the different 'modalities' of interanimation between [the various] modes of discourse' (Ricoeur quoted by Scott 1986:11). Scott (1986:15) closes his address by appealing for continued conversations and dialogue among discourses and 'scatterings' of truth (1986:15) as a hermeneutical method that would take the plurality and heteroglossia of this time in history seriously. This thesis is an attempt - a personal but also a scholarly and academically responsible attempt - to plot many of the voices and contexts that would help to evaluate the specific understanding of the role of the study of religion in the broader contexts of citizenship in a postmodern age where nationalities, nation states and allegiances are constantly in flux and complex. This thesis is also submitted as proof of the validity of my own voice as one of many voices in and surrounding the house of intellect in an age of carnival. / Religious Studies and Arabic) / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies and Arabic)

Thesis (M Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many children experience developmental problems without being aware thereof. In a school setting these developmental delays mostly remain unnoticed and are scarcely remediated sufficiently, if at all. Children with developmental deficits often experience movement difficulties and are labelled as clumsy, sloppy or having two left feet. The development of, and proficiency in specific motor skills have been found to play a critical role in the participation of physical activity in children, as well as the maintenance of health and well-being later in life, when entering adulthood. There are, however, countless other factors that affect the optimal development of motor skills and physical activity participation. One such factor is ascribed to instances where children experience problems associated with their environment or the circumstances in which they grow up. Poor socio-economic circumstances and a culturally poor environment, lacking sufficient developmental opportunities, may hinder a child‟s motor skills development and skill learning to such an extent that they cannot reach their full developmental potential. Research suggests that the school environment can provide ample opportunity for the development of motor skills and that all schools should consider implementing motor skills development programmes during the Physical Education (PE) time slots. The mastery of motor skills may influence and benefit the participation in various school sports and may also enhance the ability of children to learn and master new and more complex movement skills within and outside the classroom environment. Thus, due to the fact that children spend a great part of their day at school and in the classroom setting, teachers, especially those facilitating PE, have the opportunity to play a vital role in the acquisition and mastery of important motor skills and subsequently affect the physical activity and developmental future of children. The purpose of this study was to design and implement a motor skills development programme to improve the balance and bilateral coordination of children between the ages of 10 and 12 years in the Stellenbosch region. Two existing classes, from a previously disadvantaged school, were recruited and randomly selected as an experimental (n=35) and control group (n=32). The children completed the Short Form as well as all the Long Form activities for the balance and bilateral coordination subtests of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2). This was done to provide an overview of the overall motor proficiency and more specifically the level of balance and bilateral coordination. A 12-week motor skills development programme, with a specific focus on balance and bilateral coordination, was designed and implemented by the researcher. The effect of this programme was determined by statistically analysing and comparing the pre- and post-test results with the use of Statistica 2010. The main findings of this study indicated that the intervention programme had a positive, although not statistically significant, effect on the overall motor proficiency and balance and significantly improved bilateral coordination. This study suggests that some of the children, between the ages of 10 and 12, from a previously disadvantaged school in the Stellenbosch region and with access to an established school PE programme, experienced movement difficulties. Consequently, there is great room for improvement and motor skill development in these children. This study can, therefore, be a stepping stone into future research regarding further motor skills research in primary school children, the implementation of expanded motor skills intervention programmes and to improve all the motor skills as opposed to selected motor skills as in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelingsprobleme word, sonder dat ʼn mens daarvan bewus is, deur vele kinders ervaar. In die skool-omgewing bly hierdie ontwikkelingsagterstande meestal ongesiens en word min kinders, indien enige, voldoende geremedieer. Kinders met ontwikkelingsagterstande ervaar gereeld bewegingsprobleme en word as lomp, slordig of as iemand met twee linkervoete beskryf. Daar word beweer dat die ontwikkeling van, en vaardigheid in, spesifieke motoriese vaardighede van kinders ʼn kritieke rol in hul deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteit, asook die onderhoud van gesondheid en welstand tydens volwassenheid, speel. Daar is egter talle ander faktore wat die optimale motoriese ontwikkeling en fisieke aktiwiteit deelname van kinders kan beïnvloed. ʼn Voorbeeld van so ʼn faktor word toegeskryf aan gevalle waar kinders probleme, wat met hulle omgewing of die omstandighede waarin hul grootword geassosieer word, ervaar. Swak sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede en ʼn kultureel-arme omgewing, wat tekort skiet aan voldoende ontwikkelingsgeleenthede, mag die motoriese ontwikkeling en die aanleer van nuwe vaardighede tot so ʼn mate inhibeer dat kinders nie in staat is om hulle volle ontwikkelingspotensiaal te bereik nie. Navorsing dui daarop dat die skoolomgewing vele geleenthede vir die ontwikkeling van motoriese vaardighede kan bied en dat daar onderneem moet word om motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogramme tydens Liggaamlike Opvoeding (LO) periodes te implementeer. Die bemeestering van motoriese vaardighede mag die deelname aan verskeie skoolsporte beïnvloed en bevoordeel, asook die vermoë om nuwe en meer komplekse bewegingsvaardighede binne en buite die klasomgewing aan te leer en te bemeester, bevorder. Dus, aangesien kinders ʼn groot gedeelte van hul dag by die skool en in ʼn klasomgewing deurbring, het onderwysers, veral die wat LO fasiliteer, die geleentheid om ʼn noodsaaklike rol in die aanleer en bemeestering van belangrike motoriese vaardighede, en vervolgens fisieke aktiwiteit, asook die toekomstige ontwikkeling van kinders te beïnvloed. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ʼn motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogram, wat balans en bilaterale koördinasie bevorder, vir 10 tot 12-jarige kinders in die Stellenbosch omgewing te ontwerp en implementeer. Twee bestaande klasse vanuit ʼn voorheenbenadeelde skool was gewerf en lukraak verkies as ʼn eksperimentele- (n=35) en kontrolegroep (n=32). Kinders het die kort vorm- asook al die lang vorm-aktiwiteite vir balans en bilaterale koördinasie sub-toetse van die Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) voltooi. Hierdie toetse is afgelê om ʼn oorsig van die algehele motoriese vaardigheidsvlak, en meer spesifiek die vlak van balans en bilaterale koördinasie, te bepaal. ʼn 12-week motoriese vaardigheid-ontwikkelingsprogram, met ʼn spesifieke fokus op balans en bilaterale koördinasie, is deur die navorser ontwerp en geïmplementeer. Die effek van hierdie program is bepaal deur die pre- en post-toets resultate met behulp van Statistica 2010 statisties te analiseer en vergelyk. Die primêre bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die intervensieprogram ʼn positiewe, alhoewel nie statisties beduidende, effek op die bevordering van algehele motoriese vaardigheidsvlak en balans, asook ʼn statisties beduidende effek op bilaterale koördinasie gehad het. Hierdie studie dui daarop dat kinders, tussen die ouderdomme van 10 en 12, vanuit ʼn voorheenbenadeelde skool in die Stellenbosch omgewing en wat toegang tot ʼn gevestigde LO program het, steeds bewegingsprobleme ervaar. Dus, is daar groot ruimte vir die verbetering en ontwikkeling van motoriese vaardighede by hierdie kinders. Hierdie studie kan dus as ʼn beginpunt vir toekomstige navorsing in verdere motoriese vaardigheids-navorsing van laerskool kinders, die implementering van uitgebreide motoriese intervensieprogramme, asook die bevordering van alle motoriese vaardighede in vergelyking met geselekteerde motoriese vaardighede soos in die huidige studie dien.

The flat narratives presented in Children’s Bibles typify the assumption that children are incapable of engaging theologically and critically with the Biblical texts. The manner in which Biblical stories are told to children during their formative years can have negative repercussions as children perceive the Scriptures as static and irrelevant. By denying children the chance to explore the dynamic text, they will never discover the depth and potential of the life-giving message of the Bible and can become despondent with Christianity, perceiving it as immaterial as the Biblical narratives show no resemblance to reality. Developing a habit of blindly accepting Christian teachings can also develop a faith which allows unhealthy indoctrination and oppressive beliefs into the Christian’s life. This thesis explores what is necessary to enable and encourage children to critically and theologically engage with the Bible. Using the story of the Widow’s Offering in Mark 12 as an example, the traditional readings present in Children’s Bibles were compared to a critical reading of the text. A Contextual Bible Study was then conducted with two case studies from grade 1 and 4 at Scottsville Primary in order to determine whether children are able to critically and theologically engage with the concepts of Christian Humanism and textual criticism. The findings reveal that this is an important area of research that requires urgent further investigation. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-05-19T11:59:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Georgina Lopes da Mota.pdf: 1132317 bytes, checksum: 510271a6f9754cb1939782ba89d3ac04 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-19T11:59:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Georgina Lopes da Mota.pdf: 1132317 bytes, checksum: 510271a6f9754cb1939782ba89d3ac04 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This thesis originates from a research to investigate which conception of childhood was implicit in the curricular proposal for early childhood education in the curricular guidelines, expectations of learning, and teaching guidelines for early childhood education in the period from 2005 to 2012 in the city of São Paulo. Studies on childhood have guided different discussions on the visibility of the child in early childhood programs. The child is recognized as a subject of rights by the Federal Constitution and childhood, as the first stage of basic education by the law of Guidelines and Bases of education, which was reflected in the construction of political measures in municipalities for fitness to new definitions of legal norms. The Municipal Secretary of education of the city of São Paulo, by taking the formal education of children from zero to three years, implemented new educational policies to the adequacy of the education and care of children in the age group of zero to six years. To investigate that period of early childhood education in Department of education policy, this research utilized a qualitative method of analysis of documents. The chosen document was the last document produced by the Municipal Secretary of Education with curricular orientation at the beginning of the studies. The first chapter sought to construct the theoretical foundations, rescuing the history of childhood, the contribution of the sociology of childhood and socio-historical psychology. The second chapter described the history of early childhood education and curriculum, emphasizing the history of education in Brazil and in São Paulo. To parse the document, the analysis methodology used was the hermeneutics of depth by J. Thompson. For the formal approach, we opted for the content analysis technique, which resulted in issues of significance for the interpretation of the data. In this sense, we can say that the conception of childhood, in social perspective and historically constructed, is considered a social category. In relation to the practice, the child should be the Center and the curriculum should articulate her knowledge with new knowledge. From this finding, this study concluded that the curricular guidelines for early childhood education, to define the learning expectations in pedagogical practice, restricted the autonomy of the teacher in the selection of learning, and conceived the childhood as a period of development and learning, focusing on the preparation for the later stage / Esta tese decorre de uma pesquisa para investigar qual a concepção de infância esteve implícita na proposta curricular para a Educação Infantil nas orientações curriculares, expectativas de aprendizagens e orientações didáticas para a Educação Infantil no período de 2005 a 2012 no município de São Paulo. Os estudos sobre a infância têm norteado diferentes discussões sobre a visibilidade da criança nos programas de Educação Infantil. A criança ao ser reconhecida como sujeito de direitos pela Constituição Federal e a infância como a primeira etapa da educação básica pela Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação repercutiu em construção de medidas políticas nas prefeituras para adequação às novas definições das normatizações legais. A Secretaria Municipal de Educação na prefeitura de São Paulo ao assumir a Educação de crianças de zero a três anos implementou novas políticas pedagógicas para adequação da educação e do cuidado das crianças na faixa etária de zero a seis anos. A abordagem da pesquisa foi predominantemente qualitativa. Trata-se de uma análise documental, a escolha do documento se deu pelo fato de ser o último documento produzido pela Secretaria Municipal de Educação com orientação curricular no início dos estudos. No primeiro capítulo buscou-se construir as fundamentações teóricas, resgatando a história da infância, a contribuição da sociologia da infância e a psicologia sócio-histórica. No segundo capítulo, descreveu-se a história da educação infantil e do currículo enfatizando a trajetória da educação no Brasil e em São Paulo. Para analisar o documento, utilizou-se a metodologia de análise, hermenêutica da profundidade de J. Thompson e para a análise formal optou-se pela técnica de análise de conteúdo que resultou em temas de significação para a interpretação dos dados. Nesse sentindo, a concepção de infância numa perspectiva social e historicamente construída é considerada uma categoria social. Na relação com a prática, a criança deve ser o centro, o currículo deve articular os saberes dela com os novos conhecimentos. Partindo dessa análise, a pesquisa apontou que as orientações curriculares para a educação infantil ao definir as expectativas de aprendizagens na prática pedagógica restringiu a autonomia do professor na seleção das aprendizagens e concebeu a infância como o período de desenvolvimento e aprendizagem tendo como foco a preparação para o estágio posterior

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-06-14T12:44:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 OPEN AUTORUN.pdf: 71179230 bytes, checksum: f76e476c622fc9dca8a1176a97a1db00 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-14T12:44:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 OPEN AUTORUN.pdf: 71179230 bytes, checksum: f76e476c622fc9dca8a1176a97a1db00 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The present study deals with the relations that language used in maternal educational practices can have with the social understanding that children begin to develop in the first years of life. Social mothers' responses to the interview through the content analysis and the score of correct answers and errors presented by the children in the tasks of false beligf. In order to check the possible correlations between the variables included in this study, it was used the Spearman Correlation Test, as well as it was applied a multiple regression analysis model. The results showed significant correlations of the child's age, mother's age, mother's schooling, mother's professional occupation, and number of older siblings with some types of maternal educational practices. Regarding children's performances in the false heliçftasks, there was only a positive correlation with the child's age. T here was a predominance of maternal educational prac/ices that use a coercive and reprehensivc language, in contrast to practices mediated by an explanatory and reflective language, that promote children's thinking about nOrms, consequences or mental states. Five correlations were found between the language used in maternal educational practices and children's performance in false belief tasks. A positive correlation between practical ta/k abou/ beliefs and the task ofexplicitjàlse beliefand four negative correlations: a negative correlation between practical punishments and the task offalse content belief; a negative correlation between practical physical punishments and the task of belief and emotion; and, two negative correlations between practical passivity with the task offalse beliefin content and with the task Qfbe/ief and emotion. In this study, it was possible to verify that it is not all type of linguistic interaction that associates or promotes the understanding of /àlS'e beliefs. The results obtained demonstrate the relevance of social interactions and the quality of the content of the conversation experiences during childhood and provide consistent evidence for the argument that the type of language used in maternal educa/ional practices Plays a highly important role for understanding false belich and, consequently, for the development of social understanding in childhood / O presente estudo trata das relações que a linguagem utilizada nas práticas educativas maternas possa ter com a compreensão social que as crianças desenvolvem nos primeiros anos de vida. A compreensão social é um conjunto de processos cognitivos que, por meio da observação, possibilita a uma pessoa perceber e interpretar comportamentos sociais, permitindo a ela, interagir com outras pessoas. Um dos fundamentos para o desenvolvimento da compreens'ão social na infincia é a habilidade de atribuir estados mentais, como emoções, intenções, desejos e crenças, a si mesmo e a outras pessoas, denominada na literatura científica como teoria da mente. Nesse processo de desenvolvimento, a linguagem exerce um importante papel, pois, como principal instrumento de representação cognitiva e dc mediação simbólica, é ela que possibilita à criança representar estados mentais, nomeando-os, identificando-os e distinguindo-os. Dentre os diversos espaços sociais em que uma criança pode vivenciar interações mediadas pela linguagem, a família é o contexto primordial para o desenvolvimento da compreensão social da criança, porque é nela que as primeiras e mais significativas interações sociais ocorrem. Nessa direção, o presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar, em um grupo de mães e filhos brasileiros, a relação entre a linguagem utilizada nas práticas educativas maternas em situações de regulação do comportamento dos filhos e o desenvolvimento dc um aspecto da compreensão social deles, a compreensão de crenças falsas. O estudo foi realizado em 14 (quatorze) Centros de Educação Infantil Municipal (CEIM) da Rede Pública da cidade de Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo. Participaram deste estudo 102 (cento e duas) mães e 1()2 (cento e dois) filhos, cujo critério de inclusão foi a criança estar na faixa etária entre 3 e 6 anos de idade. Para coletar os dados foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos c procedimentos: questionário para obter informações sobre aspectos sociodemográficos dos participantes e da família, entrevista com as mães sobre suas práticas educativas e 3 (três) tarefas para verificar a compreensão de crenças' falsas dos filhos. A análise dos dados coletados incluiu o cálculo das frequências, médias e desvio padrão dos dados sociodemográficos, o exame das respostas das mães à entrevista por meio de análise de conteúdo e a pontuação de acertos e erros apresentados pelas crianças nas tarefas de crença Jâlsa. Para examinar as possíveis correlações entre as variáveis contempladas neste estudo, foi utilizado o Teste de Correlação de Spearman e aplicado um modelo de análise de regressão múltipla. Os resultados revelaram correlações significativas da idade da criança, idade da mãe, escolaridade da mãe, ocupação profissional da mãe e número de irmãos mais' velhos com alguns tipos práticas educativas maternas. Em relação ao desempenho das crianças nas tarefas de crença falsa, foi encontrada apenas uma correlação positiva com a idade da criança. Houve predominância de relatos de práticas educativas maternas que utilizam uma linguagem coercitiva e repreensiva, em contraste a práticas mediadas por uma linguagem expl icativa e reflexiva, sobre normas, consequências ou estados mentais. Foram encontradas cinco correlações entre a linguagem utilizada nas práticas educativas maternas c o desempenho das crianças nas tarefás de crençafâlsa. Uma correlação positiva entre a prática conversa sobre crenças e a tarefa de crença falsa explícita e quatro correlações negativas: uma correlação negativa entre a prática castigos e a tarefa de crençafalsa de conteúdo; uma correlação negativa entre a prática punições físicas e a tarefa de crença e emoção; c, duas correlações negativas entre a prática passividade com a tarefa de crença falsa de conteúdo e com a tarefa de crença e emoção. Neste estudo, foi possível verificar que não é todo tipo de interação linguística que se associa ou promove a compreensão de crenças falsas. Os resultados obtidos demonstram a relevância das interações sociais e a qualidade do conteúdo das experiências de conversação durante a infância e fornecem evidências consistentes para o argumento de que o tipo de linguagem utilizada nas práticas educativas maternas desempenha um papel de elevada importância para a compreensão de crenças fôlsas e, por consequência, para o desenvolvimento da compreensão social na infância

This study investigates the effect of access to a visual outline of the text structure of a Talmudic passage on comprehension of that passage. A system for defining the text structure of Talmudic passages was designed by merging and simplifying earlier text structure systems described for Talmudic passages, following principles taken from research on text structure. Comprehension of two passages were compared for students who did traditional reading of a Talmudic passage (the passages had punctuation added, and a list of difficult words and their meanings was appended) (the control condition), and students who read the passage with these same materials as well as with an outline of the text structure of that passage (the experimental condition). Seventy-two 10th and 11th graders participated. After a brief training on text structure, students were randomly assigned to the control or experimental condition for Passage 1. All students took a comprehension exam on Passage 1. In the next session, all students who read Passage 1 in the control condition read Passage 2 in the experimental condition, and all students who read Passage 2 in the experimental condition read Passage 2 in the control condition. Students then took a comprehension exam for Passage 2. The text structure outline improved students’ ability to comprehend Passage 2, but no benefits were seen on Passage 1. The results provide evidence that awareness of the text structure of a Talmudic passage helps readers when the passage is concrete and somewhat well organized.