Assessment for Learning (AfL) has been seen as a key aspect of teaching and learning for almost two decades, since the seminal review by Black and Wiliam (1998a). However, the research has largely been conducted with practising teachers rather than student teachers. This thesis attempts to fill this gap in relation to AfL, and illustrate that understanding how student teachers learn to use conceptual resources, such as AfL, can inform the work of all those who support the learning of teachers in training. The present study investigated how four secondary geography student teachers on a one year post-graduate training programme in England worked with ideas associated with AfL in their teaching during two school placements. The study asked how and why they used AfL or, as became evident, Assessment of Learning (AoL) in their teaching and what their use of AfL might tell us about their learning to teach in schools. The thesis adopted a cultural-historical approach to investigate the actions in activities of the student teachers as they learnt to teach. The four students were followed over two terms in their two placement schools to gather data on their trajectories as learners and beginning teachers. Data collection methods were: (i) semi-structured interviews with the four students; interviews with their teacher mentors and other school staff; and (ii) regular post-lesson interviews with the student teachers, following observations of their teaching. The cultural-historical approach led to examining AfL as a potential tool to be used by the student teachers in their teaching. Engeström's (1990, 1999, 2007) work on tool use and mediating artefacts was deployed to analyse the student teachers' use of AfL and what they saw as its purposes. The attention to purposes of tool use in the study was also informed by Hedegaard's (2012, 2014) work on motives in institutional practices, the activities in the practices and the actions taken by student teachers. This approach pointed to how the institutional motives and demands embedded in school practices influenced their learning. The study also paid attention to the identity work being done by the student teachers. This work was most apparent when the student teachers moved from their first to second placement school and worked with a different set of demands in institutional practices. One early finding was that although school colleagues and student teachers were using the label AfL, closer examination revealed that they were actually using AoL. Key findings from the final analyses were as follows: there was considerable variation in how the geography specialist teacher mentors interpreted and used AfL; some mentors were strongly mediating the AfL/AoL expectations evident in the school inspection system in England; there was evidence of some strong and challenging mentoring, but it was not consistent across the experiences of the students; the students' own sense of the kind of teacher they wanted to become could be tracked in ways which revealed how they coped with the different school demands and what they saw as university expectations; the transition between placement schools was significant for the student teachers in ways that had not been anticipated by the design of the programme. Following the student teachers as learners offered insights into their experiences in the black box of school placements during teacher education. Consequently, the implications for the design of teacher education programmes are a key part of the discussion stimulated by the findings.

A multiple baseline across participants design was used to examine the impact of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), implemented as a total framework, on the academic engagement of middle school students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), and students who are at-risk for academic failure due to behavior problems, who are included in general education classes. Five teachers from two middle schools participated in professional development on UDL and UDL lesson plan design and then implemented UDL lessons in their classes. Data were collected on the fidelity of UDL implementation, student academic engagement during lesson plan implementation, and teacher acceptability of UDL. Results from implementation fidelity data indicated that after professional development on UDL, the teachers designed and implemented UDL lessons with limited fidelity. Results from student engagement data indicated that brief and limited exposure to UDL is insufficient to produce measureable improvements in student engagement, although increased interest and involvement was noted during specific types of UDL-related learning activities. Results from the teacher acceptability survey indicated that the teachers found UDL to be an acceptable treatment for improving engagement, but they were somewhat uncomfortable with a student-centered classroom and thought UDL was time consuming to implement.

A qualitative and quantitative study was undertaken to understand the support for learning provided by African parents in the education of their children. In this study we investigated the extent, level, form and content of the support of parents in the learning of their children during the Foundation Phase with special reference to a Tsonga community. Parents’ support is regarded as an essential factor in children’s learning, but more information is needed about the practices of such support for African children in the Foundation Phase. There are some parents (educated or not) who do not provide effective support. In some instances, parents do not stay with their children because of migratory labour practices and siblings have to carry the responsibility. Some of the parents leave early for work and return home late while children are asleep, which makes it difficult for them to provide optimal support. It was found in this research that the amount and nature of literacy materials did not differ much between the working families and those who were not working. It was again found during the work sessions with both the literate and illiterate parents that there was extremely little variation in support methods in as far as numeracy and language were concerned. / Thesis (PhD (Orthopedagogics))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Background: The Routes for Learning (RfL) assessment is intended to enable accurate assessment of the cognitive and communication skills of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). A literature search revealed that there is little published research regarding the implementation or effectiveness of RfL. This study aimed to begin to address this lack of research by investigating some of the ways in which the RfL materials are used in practice, why they have been used in these ways and how this relates to the RfL guidance. Participants: Two special school settings were identified while working for an Educational Psychology Service. For each setting a practitioner using RfL and a staff member with leadership responsibility for assessment/RfL was identified. Methods: A multiple embedded case study was conducted in two special school settings in a North West local authority. A running record was kept of observations made of school staff using RfL in practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners using RfL and staff members with leadership responsibility for RfL. All interviewees also completed a background questionnaire to provide context for the research and to support data from interviews. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. An examination of the RfL materials and resources was undertaken. Analysis/Findings: All interview data were analysed using thematic analysis and the findings presented as thematic maps. Conclusion/Implications: This study found that RfL is being used in different ways in special schools and identified a number of issues which relate to its use and implementation.

The aim of this study was to examine how teachers in Waldorf, Reggio Emilia and traditional pedagogy work with literacy in preschools in Sweden. We also wanted to see the similarities and differences between the pedagogical approaches in the work regarding literacy and what the teachers think about the age of children when they learn to read and write. To get answers to our questions, we used a qualitative method where we interviewed six preschool teachers in six different preschools in Stockholm County with the 3 different pedagogies. Our theory is connected to Vygotski´s four processes that are important for children in learning, which is the socio-cultural, the mediated, the situated and the creative. We have also used John Dewey´s theory, who also speaks of children's learning with respect to social relations and artistic processes. The result of the interviews showed that it is very individual when children begin to learn literacy and the teachers say that we should not stop them if they have the interest but it must come from the children's own initiative and be based on their own interests. The environment was also something that was important to the child's learning of literacy and that the teachers used activities where the children could use all their senses in various esthetics expressions.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T18:49:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao.pdf: 529853 bytes, checksum: af572056683ba0bfa619de3c0e11aed7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-11 / The survey aimed to identify the level of understanding in reading and strategies for learning in universities, establishing comparisons between students and beginners concluintes the course of an IES Lyrics of the interior of the state of Tocantins (N = 80). The instruments used to gather data were Text Scheduled in Cloze and Scale of Assessment of Strategies for Learning. The results showed that with respect to understanding in reading, the majority of subjects (42%) presents serious difficulties, with no statistically significant differences between the classes of periods. With regard to strategies for learning it was found that students of Term 1 (Beginners) have an average of more significant positive strategies that the subject of the 8 th Period (Concluintes). It is suggested the holding of other studies that explore more widely in understanding the relationship between reading and learning strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of programmes remediativos of reading with students. / A pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar o nível de compreensão em leitura e as estratégias de aprendizagem em universitários, estabelecendo comparações entre alunos iniciantes e concluintes do Curso de Letras de uma IES do interior do Estado do Tocantins (N=80). Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de dados foram Texto Programado em Cloze e Escala de Avaliação de Estratégias de Aprendizagem. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que, com relação à compreensão em leitura, a maioria dos sujeitos (42%) apresenta sérias dificuldades, não havendo diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre as turmas dos Períodos. Com relação às estratégias de aprendizagem verificou-se que os alunos do 1º Período (Iniciantes) apresentam uma média mais significativa de estratégias positivas do que os sujeitos do 8º Período (Concluintes). Sugere-se a realização de outros estudos que explorem mais amplamente a relação entre compreensão em leitura e estratégias de aprendizagem, bem como avaliem a eficácia de programas remediativos de leitura com estudantes universitários.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-18T17:54:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao.pdf: 529853 bytes, checksum: af572056683ba0bfa619de3c0e11aed7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-11 / The survey aimed to identify the level of understanding in reading and strategies for learning in universities, establishing comparisons between students and beginners concluintes the course of an IES Lyrics of the interior of the state of Tocantins (N = 80). The instruments used to gather data were Text Scheduled in Cloze and Scale of Assessment of Strategies for Learning. The results showed that with respect to understanding in reading, the majority of subjects (42%) presents serious difficulties, with no statistically significant differences between the classes of periods. With regard to strategies for learning it was found that students of Term 1 (Beginners) have an average of more significant positive strategies that the subject of the 8 th Period (Concluintes). It is suggested the holding of other studies that explore more widely in understanding the relationship between reading and learning strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of programmes remediativos of reading with students. / A pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar o nível de compreensão em leitura e as estratégias de aprendizagem em universitários, estabelecendo comparações entre alunos iniciantes e concluintes do Curso de Letras de uma IES do interior do Estado do Tocantins (N=80). Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de dados foram Texto Programado em Cloze e Escala de Avaliação de Estratégias de Aprendizagem. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que, com relação à compreensão em leitura, a maioria dos sujeitos (42%) apresenta sérias dificuldades, não havendo diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre as turmas dos Períodos. Com relação às estratégias de aprendizagem verificou-se que os alunos do 1º Período (Iniciantes) apresentam uma média mais significativa de estratégias positivas do que os sujeitos do 8º Período (Concluintes). Sugere-se a realização de outros estudos que explorem mais amplamente a relação entre compreensão em leitura e estratégias de aprendizagem, bem como avaliem a eficácia de programas remediativos de leitura com estudantes universitários.

The main purpose of this mixed methods research was to explore and analyze visitors’ overall experience while they attended a museum exhibition, and examine how this experience was affected by previously using a virtual 3dimensional representation of the museum itself. The research measured knowledge acquisition in a virtual museum, and compared this knowledge acquired between a virtual museum versus a real one, employing a series of questionnaires, unobtrusive observations, surveys, personal and group interviews related to the exhibition and the artist. A group of twenty-seven undergraduate students in their first semester at the College of Architecture and Design of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico participated in the research, and were divided in two groups, one of which used a 3D virtual representation previous to the museum visit. Results show that participants who experienced the virtual museum concurred that using it was a positive experience that prepared them to go to the real museum because they knew already what they were going to find. Most of the participants who experienced the virtual museum exhibited an increased activity during their museum visit, either agreeing, being more participative, concurring and showing acceptance, asking questions, or even giving their opinion and analysis, disagreeing with the guide and showing passive rejection. Also participants from this group showed an increase on their correct answers to the knowledge acquisition questionnaires, going from 27% answers responded correctly in the pre-test, to 67% of correct answers after the virtual museum usage. The research attempted to show that experiencing a virtual museum can be similar to the experience in physical museum visits, not only engaging participants to go to the museum, but sometimes even offering a more functional way to deliver content. Results of this research evidence that using a virtual museum creates a positive impact in users before, during, and after the museum visit, and that it can be a good alternative, not only for educational, but for promotional and recreational and purposes.

Syfte med studien är att få kunskap om vad estetiska lärprocesser bidrar till i förskolan. Metoden i studien antar en kvalitativ ansats i vilken förskollärare från fyra olika förskolor bidrar med sina uppfattningar i digitalt genomförda personliga intervjuer. Resultatet har analyserats utifrån teorin Design för lärande. De estetiska lärprocesserna beskrivs i studiens resultat som kommunikativa verktyg som inkluderar både verbalt språk och multimodala uttryckssätt. All verksamhet i förskolan, även en estetisk lärprocess, gynnas enligt förskollärarna av att sättas i sitt sammanhang samt att kopplas till en social kontext. Lärande inom en trygg och lustfylld miljö kan få barnen att känna sig bekräftade, få självförtroende och skapa sin egen identitet. Resultatet indikerar att estetiska inslag i förskolans verksamhet kan ge barn möjlighet att få vara den de är och uttrycka sig på sitt eget individuella sätt utifrån likvärdiga förutsättningar. Ett inkluderande synsätt i undervisningen möjliggörs genom möten och kommunikation med olika människor vilket estetiska lärprocesser främjar. Estetiska lärprocesser kan på sikt skapa trygga ramar och en röd tråd för barnen. Det är ingen färdig metod men de estetiska lärprocsserna kan förmodas fungera som en källa till inspiration inom förebyggande interkulturellt arbete i förskolans verksamhet. Undervisning inom estetiska lärprocesser förutsätter nämligen engagerade förskollärare som i samspel med barnen gör dem delaktiga både i styrda och spontana sammanhang under hela dagen då lustfylld, inkluderande och pedagogisk verksamhet pågår. Didaktiska implikationer visar att barn i förskolan behöver genuint engagerade och närvarande förskollärare som aktivt interagerar med barnen. / The purpose of the study is to get knowledge of what aesthetical processes in learning can contribute to within pre-school platform. The method in the study has a quality approach in which pre-school teachers from four different pre-schools contribute with their opinions in digitally implemented personal interviews. The result has been analyzed by the theory of Design for learning. The aesthetical processes in learning are in the result of the study described as communicative tools including both verbal as well as  multimodal expressions. All activities in pre-school, also an aesthetical process in learning, benefits according to the pre-school teachers by being put in a context as well as in social connections. Learning within a secure and pleasurable environment can enable the children being seen, to give them confidence and allow them to find their own identity. The result indicates that aesthetical elements in pre-school surroundings can give children a chance to be who they are as well as express themselves in their own individual way fromout equal conditions. An including approach in the way of teaching is being enabled through meetings and communication beetween different people, and by using aesthetical processes those meetings come naturally. Lomgterm, aesthetical processes in learning, can create secure frameworks and a red thread for the children. It is not a complete method but the aesthetical processes in learning supposedly can function as a source of inspiration when it comes to a preventive intercultural work in pre-schools. Teaching, using aesthetical processes in learning, actually requires dedicated pre-school teachers who are interacting with the children, making them involved in controlled as well as in more spontanous situations throughout the whole day while joyful. including and pedagogical activities take place. Didactical implications show that children in pre-school need genuinelly dedicated and attendant pre-school teachers who actively interact with the children.

Schools often understand the need for change, but they need a unifying theme and body of knowledge to direct that change so that it is not done piecemeal. The Basic School research of Ernest Boyer (1995) offers a potential solution for that problem by presenting a theoretical framework for school renewal and change. This study examines the experiences of one elementary school in implementing the Basic School framework. The literature review covers the foundations underlying the Basic School philosophy as well as research that has been conducted since the original report. The design of this study is a qualitative case study of one elementary school. The collection and analysis of a field journal, field notes, participant observations, interviews, and documents culminate in a narrative account of findings and reflections. By providing details of how one school applied the Basic School framework, this report offers insight into methods other elementary schools could use to more effectively design the implementation process for their settings. The experiences of this school could therefore lead to the development of a model generalizable to other schools as they proceed with school renewal and change. / Ed. D.