This study involved close observation of 26 pupils aged 9-14 years in four schools over a period of 12 weeks, and then a further study involving 111 secondary school pupils, carried out over three years. It investigated the influence of prior knowledge on children's understanding of ideas in science, in three related areas: evidence for and against the contention that pupils formulate 'alternative frameworks' of interpretation; the pupils' understanding of the purpose of their work; and the influence of context upon meaning. Findings include (1) a caution against the rigid postulation of alternative frameworks, (2) indications, nevertheless, that pupils do anticipate and explain observations by constructing tentative predictions from prior experience, and (3) evidence that pupils often invent their own purposeful aims for lessons. During the investigation several issues relating to the teacher as researcher emerged, and the thesis chiefly reports this over-riding aspect of the inquiry. The study highlights and appraises implications for teacher-researchers in the following areas: the theory base of the research; the choice of questions to be investigated; the choice of methods; means of improving reliability and validity; and the practical opportunities for teachers. The thesis suggests ways for teachers to guard against such dangers as eclecticism, subjectivity and lack of perception. It compares the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative methods, includes an interview checklist, and compares the contributions which teachers and non-teachers can make to research. The study also suggests the need to develop semi-structured interviews in classroom research, and argues for a combination of the expertise of teacher- researchers and professional research teams in tackling inquiry into concept development in science.

The view that knowledge-yielding single-premise deductive inference must proceed from a known premise is very plausible at first blush. In this thesis I explore in detail the possibility that this view is false. I construct a series of challenging cases against the principle of Counter-Closure, which expresses this view. These cases force theorists endorsing a variety of contemporary views to either (i) abandon Counter-Closure; (ii) admit into their epistemology novel and theory-specific kinds of Gettier cases; or (iii) make significant revisions to their theories. I offer considerations that help would-be deniers of Counter-Closure explain away its prima facie plausibility and suggest a suitable theoretical replacement phrased in terms of justification rather than knowledge. Finally, I connect this discussion with debates in the epistemologies of testimony and memory, where analogue principles to Counter- Closure have been recently subjected to critical scrutiny.

Thesis (PhD(Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (Ph.D.(Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

西方哲學中的知識論就著知識的本質、知識之範圍、知識成立的條件等等問題有著深入而又精微的討論，然而反觀中國古代的先秦儒者，他們所關懷往往是內聖外王之事，且拙於運用抽象的概念進行思考，因此他們從不曾顯題化地對知識之構造、本質等等進行嚴謹而有系統的思考。然而，人一旦廁身於世，就無可避免地面對認識的問題，而無論是甚麼人，都有運用自己的感官和理性思維去認識、理解世界的經驗，因此假使我們仔細閱讀先秦儒者對於「知」的零碎文本，未嘗不可建立一套先秦儒者的「知」「識」論。 / 因此，本文將以孔子、孟子、荀子的文本為主要探討對象，分析他們所言之「知」「識」的各種意涵，具體的論述將主要分為四章：第一章「耳目之知」，闡述先秦儒者對於運用各種身體感官以認識外物的討論；第二章則為「知慮之知」，以理性思維能力為探討核心；第三章則為「知義之知」，探討在孟荀理解中，道德是如何被認識；而最後一章是「知天之知」，研究「天」、「命」這兩個觀念在孟荀文本中，是如何被理解和掌握的。本研究希望通過重新梳理「知」之不同層次之意涵，重構先秦儒者對於知識的討論，雖然當中或沒有令人耳目一新之創見，但望能為日後進一步討論作基石。 / Western epistemology has flourish, thorough discussion on the nature, scope, necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge. For Pre-Qin Confucians, as what they concerned about were how to be a sage and true king and they were weak in conceptual thinking, thus they did not have any thematic and systematic discussion on the issue of the nature and structure of knowledge. However, everyone encounters the problem of how to get to know the outside world when they are living. Besides this, everyone has the experience of using their sense organs and rationality to perceive and understand the world. As a result, although Pre-Qin Confucians has only some piecemeal texts on knowing, we can still re-construct their views on knowing through detailed, deep analysis of their words. / As a result, this research will focus on Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi, analyzing different meanings of "Zhi" "Shi" (knowledge) in their texts. It will divide into four main parts, chapter one will concentrate on the discussion of sensible knowing, while chapter two will reveal the kind of knowing by rational deliberation and inference. As for chapter three, it will study how morality is being acquired in Mencius and Xunzi’s thought. Then the last chapter will examine some transcendental objects, such as "tian" and "ming", are how to be perceived. After all, despite this research might not contain much insightful, new opinions, its clarification and division on the meaning of "Zhi" might serve as a helpful ground for further discussion on the thought of knowing in Chinese Philosophy. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 葉德莉. / Thesis (M.Phil.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-146). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Ye Deli.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004. Directed by Phillip L. Ackerman. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-122).

No description available.