M.Ed. (Didactics) / The beginning teacher doesn't start his teaching career as an educational expert. Although he is professionally qualified, his professional training doesn't fully equip him with all the required attributes necessary for an error-free start to his teaching career. The objective of this study is to scientifically acquire, by way of a literature study, information concerning individual shortcomings and lack of expertise attributable to the beginning teacher in practice. Attention has been given to the problems experienced by the beginning teacher when starting his teaching career in practice. His initial experience of the educational environment, as well as his development as person, educator, teacher and his position in the educational management situation are discussed. Due to the fact that he as an adult student exposes himself to an informal study situation to improve his teaching abilities, attention has been given to the specific qualities and problems the beginning teacher will be exposed to. The study also emphasised the importance of the support by more experienced teachers to the beginning teacher...

The problem of this study was to determine the effect of the use of Flanders' system of interaction analysis on the verbal behavior of an elementary school faculty and on their attitudes toward in-service education.

The problem of this study was the identification of effective and efficient means of providing quality staff development for reading instruction within a school-district setting. The study investigated the comparative effectiveness of two staff development delivery systems measured by 1) a cognitive test of a school district's reading program and 2) an affective measure of teacher attitudes toward staff development. The sample was drawn from the teacher population of a large urban school district. The 46 subjects were elementary school teachers in grades K-5 randomly divided into two groups: Group A (videotape with a trained on-site facilitator) and Group B (face-to-face live presenter). Participants in the study received training using "The Fort Worth Reading Program," a staff development program designed by the researcher. In addition to the presentation of content information, which is the central component, the program features small group discussions, off-line activities, and question and answer periods. Both groups received the same treatment with the following exception. A central component to the Group A training was the presentation of content information in a videotape format. Group B did not view the videotape, but received the same information via live presenter. Two instruments developed by the researcher were used in the study: 1) The Teacher Staff Development Questionnaire, a Likert-type survey to obtain teacher attitudes toward staff development, and 2) The Cognitive Test of Reading Knowledge, an instrument designed to measure cognitive objectives of the district's reading program. A multivariate analysis of covariance revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups. It was concluded that elementary classroom teachers, regardless of their attitudes toward staff development, learn content material equally well with either of the two delivery systems explored in this study. Specific suggestions and recommendations for further studies are addressed and discussed. Examples of the measurement instruments are included.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-service training program in the Sweetwater Public Schools, Sweetwater, Texas from 1945 to 1949; and to show that an in-service training program is a necessity in progressive schools.

D.Phil. / Schools are sites of values education. This thesis argues that teachers need to be prepared systematically in a programme for the infusion of values into the curriculum. The inquiry investigated such a programme of teacher development in which teachers‘ participation was examined with a view of examining the design of the programme and to make recommendations for revision and refinement of the programme. The main research question that guided this inquiry was, ―How do teachers engage with the ACE programme and how is this engagement1 made visible in their practice and their discourse?‖ This research question addresses both teachers‘ understanding (personal meaning making) or ―internalisation‖ in Vygotskian parlance (Vygotsky, 1986), their transfer from their own understanding to action in learning environments and the activation of specific values that they hold dear. Ultimately this research question pertains to how design principles are activated in the programme for teacher development and also how they may need to be amended as a result of the understanding that comes from the inquiry. The object of the inquiry was thus the teachers and their interaction with this ACE programme, the design principles of which were the elements of the ACE programme that were ultimately examined as they played out in the teachers‘ learning and practice. I employed a design-based research process, using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The sources of data included questionnaires, observations, interviews, journals and photographs.

On the African continent South Africa is unequivocally the economic and military giant. As the continental hegemon, the state has sought the reform of the unequal global economy in order to enhance the participation in the global political economy of all African countries. The South African government projects the discourse of African solidarity in driving global reforms, emphasising that such reforms will be of benefit to both the continent as a whole, and to the South African state. Within this context, it is the purpose of this dissertation to determine with greater clarity who stands to gain from South Africa’s efforts. In other words, is South Africa acting to acquire economic growth and development for Africa as a whole, or is the country primarily acting to secure its own wealth and power? In short, this study investigates whether South Africa – as the continental hegemon – is acting in a benevolent or selfish manner in its undertakings. The assessment of South Africa’s hegemony is presented in a theoretical schema constructed with a focus on the three main theories of international relations, namely liberalism, realism and structuralism. Each of these theories is employed descriptively as well as prescriptively as tools to evaluate the nature of the African political economy, and South African action versus rhetoric. Applying these conceptual lenses, South Africa’s position on three aspects of the African political economy are assessed and evaluated. These three areas of the political economy – trade, debt and foreign direct investment – serve as case studies revealing South Africa’s benevolence and/or selfishness. In brief, South Africa is pressing for the reform of the international financial architecture; rhetorically, the state seeks free trade and enhanced export opportunities for all African states; the country is urging foreign creditors to reduce Africa’s external debt; South African leaders have recommended that their counterparts establish an investor-friendly climate in Africa as a means to enhance foreign investments on the continent. South Africa’s actions have the potential to benefit the African continent as a whole, and simultaneously advance the state’s interests. The findings of this study point out that (a) each of the three theories can be utilised to describe South Africa’s rhetoric and actions, and (b) the essence of South Africa’s hegemony is neither entirely benevolent, nor exclusively selfish. / Mr. P.P Fourie

This mixed methods study investigated the self-reported frequency of professional development experiences mentors have had with their mentees and with other mentors and identified the self-reported beliefs they hold about mentoring. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey of teachers from one school district that had mentored at least one time within the past 2 years. Specifically, mentors were asked to report how often they engaged in specific activities with their mentees and with other mentors. Mentors were also asked to report the degree to which they believed given statements were true about mentoring (a) as a professional development experience for the mentors themselves; (b) as a way to improve mentors' own classroom teaching practice; and (c) as an avenue for leadership roles in schools. Qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews with mentors to better understand the quality of their experiences and to identify those experiences that were more powerful in terms of shaping their beliefs. In addition, data were analyzed to determine the relationship between the frequency of mentors' experiences and their beliefs. The results show that the frequency of experiences mentors have had with their mentees and with other mentors was positively and significantly related to their beliefs in 5 out of 6 cases. Mentors reported strong beliefs about mentoring as professional development for themselves, as a way to improve their own classroom teaching practice, and as a vehicle for leadership in schools. This study sought to put mentors in the forefront by exploring their experiences and their beliefs about mentoring. This focus on the mentor teacher and not just the mentee places this research at the core of improving teaching practice and viewing mentoring as an educative experience for veteran and novice alike. / by Tammy L. Bresnahan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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The thesis deals with the issues of headteachers' vocational competences and their needs for in-service training. The issue is assessed with regard to school degree and a phase of headmaster's career. The thesis is based on the need to clearly define what knowledge, abilities and attitudes should headteachers have to be able to manage the school successfully. This is also one of the conditions for creating a meaningful career system in schooling and a basis for a systematic further vocational development of headteachers. The thesis suggests a generic top performance profile of headteachers of all school degrees and a structure of their in-service training which corresponds to necessary competence. As a result, this should lead to an improvement of vocational training of headteachers and subsequently to higher quality of schools they manage.

Focusing on teacher learning, this study follows fifteen teachers in the crux of comprehensive school reform. These "regular" classroom teachers are the ubiquitous players of this theatre of school reform. "Regular" teacher is defined as a typical classroom teacher who is not actively involved in the district's school reform project or one who hasn't taken an active leadership role. The teachers in this study work in the challenging environment of a poor, diverse urban school district that was in its third year of a comprehensive school reform program, the Accelerated Schools Project. Fifteen teachers volunteered to take part in a teaching laboratory where they met, planned, taught, assessed and reflected on their practice. The study tells, analyzes and speculates about their journey. The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) is a national comprehensive school improvement model that provides professional development to schools. The study described the experiences of regular classroom teachers who engaged in a yearlong professional development program that is part of the ASP service to schools. This study employs qualitative research methods in a multiple case study analysis. By examining the teaching practices of regular classroom teachers who are often depicted as "closing the door" to the outside influences of school, district, state or federal policy, the study seeks to fully understand the planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting of classroom teachers who are caught in the center of school reform. The key findings of this study suggest teacher practice for all teacher cohorts (novice, mid-career and veteran) was influenced by participation in the Powerful Learning Laboratory. Each aspect of teaching (planning, teaching, assessing and reflection) was influenced, with differing emphasis by each cohort. The findings suggest the Powerful Learning Lab is a positive professional development experience for teachers, and that teacher learning labs should remain an integral part of the Accelerated Schools Project.