This qualitative study examines the connections between teachers’ views of large-scale assessment and their classroom practice, based on a case study of Ontario teachers and the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office [EQAO] Grade 9 Applied Assessment of Mathematics. Large-scale assessments are a prominent aspect of the Ontario education system; given that they are also mandatory, it is imperative that their impact on teaching be documented. This study enriches the existing literature on the topic of the Grade 9 EQAO Assessment of Mathematics, and provides a more-recent portrayal of the teachers’ views of this assessment and the potential impact of these views on classroom teaching by highlighting teacher attitudes, concerns, and classroom practices.

The National Professional Diploma in Education is an in-service programme for classroom-based educators who have less than three years of professional training. The programme seeks to create a pathway to qualified teacher status in ways that will impact positively on classroom practice, prepare teacher-learners for the implementation of the new curriculum and provide a sufficiently rigorous foundation for further study. This evaluation adopted a fourth generation evaluation approach characterised by extensive engagement with programme stakeholders. Chapter 2 outlines an epistemological and philosophical framework of reference whilst Chapters 3 and 4 explore learning and teaching strategies and management and costing issues. The findings of these investigations lead to the recommendations made in Chapter 5. It is felt that the Unisa NPDE meets many of the goals of the programme, but further research is needed into the impact on classroom practice and into the management of the decentralised learner support. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

The National Professional Diploma in Education is an in-service programme for classroom-based educators who have less than three years of professional training. The programme seeks to create a pathway to qualified teacher status in ways that will impact positively on classroom practice, prepare teacher-learners for the implementation of the new curriculum and provide a sufficiently rigorous foundation for further study. This evaluation adopted a fourth generation evaluation approach characterised by extensive engagement with programme stakeholders. Chapter 2 outlines an epistemological and philosophical framework of reference whilst Chapters 3 and 4 explore learning and teaching strategies and management and costing issues. The findings of these investigations lead to the recommendations made in Chapter 5. It is felt that the Unisa NPDE meets many of the goals of the programme, but further research is needed into the impact on classroom practice and into the management of the decentralised learner support. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)