While (big) data promises immense opportunity, initiatives focused on using data to pursue insight have mixed outcomes. The Management Support Systems (MSS) model summarises what we currently understand within Information Systems (IS) about the implementation and use of systems to improve organisations’ use of data. Adopting an ethnographic approach to observe how practitioners in two contrasting organisations actually generate insight from data, this research challenges the implicit information processing and implementation logics of the MMS model. The pragmatic messiness of pursuing insight is described in two monographs, which reveal the socially constructed nature of data in relation to phenomena, and the importance of data engagement to produce insight. Given that this PhD study also seeks to generate insight from data, it is compared and contrasted reflexively to the two cases observed. While the inquiry logic pursued in this study was made explicit, and was regularly reviewed and challenged, the two cases left this largely implicit. The use of tools is shown to facilitate and constrain inquiry, with related data acting as boundary objects between the different practitioner groups involved. An explanatory framework is presented and used to suggest various enhancements to the MSS model. First, the Problem Space is reframed to reflect the distinct, though interdependent logics involved in inquiry versus realising envisaged benefits from insights. Second, the MSS artefact itself is contextualised and Data Engagement rather than MSS or Tool Use is positioned as central. Third, Data are disentangled from the wider MSS artefact, as a critical, distinct construct. Fourth, an Alignment construct is introduced to address the boundary spanning nature of data initiatives. The thesis also highlights the value of using Wenger’s (1998) Communities of Practice (CoP) situated learning framework to study data initiatives, and the related value of mapping groups as a technique for further development. Some questions are provided for practitioners to gain a better understanding of data initiatives. Wider implications are also noted for the socio-material theorising of Data, and distinguishing between Data, Information and Knowledge concepts within the IS discipline.

O presente trabalho busca compreender o processo de consolidação da Escola Projeto Âncora, que declara se concretizar por meio de princípios democráticos. O objetivo é verificar se esta Escola pode ser classificada dentro do movimento das chamadas escolas democráticas. Para tanto, esta dissertação apresenta um breve percurso histórico sobre um movimento de renovação do ensino - a Escola Nova -, e as tendências pedagógicas progressistas, com ênfase às propostas democráticas. O estudo inclui as questões de autonomia escolar, territorialização das políticas educacionais e a temática da gestão escolar democrática. São abordados os princípios das escolas ditas democráticas, de modo a que sirvam de base para verificar se a práxis da escola estudada se fundamenta a partir de tais princípios. O corpo teórico se constitui das formulações de Paulo Freire e Vygotsky, abrindo espaço para que a Pedagogia e a Psicologia atuem juntas, no sentido de colaborar para a compreensão do processo de desenvolvimento e humanização do homem. Ambos entendem a educação como prática social e política, o que propõe fértil embasamento para o entendimento do fenômeno da democracia. Trata-se de uma pesquisa participante, de abordagem qualitativa. O trabalho de campo se constitui da análise documental e da observação participante. A observação em campo direciona-se ao modo como as relações são estabelecidas no contexto da participação democrática. As situações são descritas com vistas a compreender os processos e acontecimentos do cotidiano escolar, com o propósito de compreender a experiência prática da referida Escola. Os dados coletados mostram que a Escola em questão não se classifica - ela própria - dentro do movimento das escolas democráticas. Sua proposta é trabalhar de acordo com princípios democráticos, sobretudo promovendo o exercício da participação democrática como algo intimamente ligado à formação da consciência, para a vivência da democracia, incentivando a responsabilidade social. Seu propósito não é vivenciar a democracia em um espaço fechado - no interior de um prédio escolar -, e sim sair dos muros da entidade, ocupando os espaços da comunidade. Assim, vislumbra se consolidar enquanto Cidade Educadora, criando Comunidades de Aprendizagem. Esta finalidade tem vistas à promoção de condições que viabilizem a cidadania, a conscientização política, a socialização de informações, de espaço para discussões, gerando uma nova forma de pensar, uma nova cultura, o que faz das intenções educacionais desta Escola, o próprio processo de humanização, que considera não apenas a história existente, mas também uma história possível de ser construída. / The current paper intends to understand the consolidation process of Projeto Âncora School that states to accomplish its objectives based on democratic principles. It aims to verify whether this School can be classified along with the socalled democratic schools movement. Therefore, this dissertation introduces a short historical presentation about a movement of learning renewal the New Schools (a.k.a. Free Schools) -, and the progressive pedagogical trends, focusing on the democratic proposals. The study includes matters such as scholar autonomy, educational politics territorralization and the democratic school management subject. The socalled democratic schools principles are addressed in order to verify whether the studied school praxis is based on such principles. The theoretical body is placed by Paulo Freire and Vygotsky statements, giving room to Pedagogy and Psychology working together, as for the comprehension of the man development and humanization process. Both of them understand education as social and political practice, which proposes fertile basis for the understanding of the democracy phenomenon. It is a participative research, with a qualitative approach. The field work is based on the documental analysis and participative observation. The field observation focuses on how the relationships are established on the democratic participation context. Situations are described aiming to comprehend the scholar routine processes and happenings, intending to understand the practical experience of this School. Collected data show that the School does not classify itself as a democratic school, especially promoting the democratic participation practice as something closely related to the conscience formation for the democracy experience, motivating for the social responsibility. It does not aim to experience democracy inside a closed room, or in a scholar building, but to get out of the corporation, reaching the community spaces. In this manner, it conjectures to consolidate as a City that Educates, building Learning Communities. This objective intends to promote conditions that give room to citizenship, political awareness, information socialization, room for discussions, generating a new way of thinking, a new culture, which makes of this School educational intents the humanization process by itself, one that not only considers the existing history, but also a history that can be built.

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / A qualitative study was conducted to explore and describe the factors that hinder parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme for at risk children. Parent involvement remains a challenging phenomenon, which affects not only the child, as an individual, but also the family in society. However, although parenting children is perceived to be an important responsibility, parents do not receive any formal training on how to be good parents. An explorative and descriptive research design was utilised. Data collection was done by means of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, with the parents/guardians and children in the High Five Life Skills Programme, as well as the teachers, who refer children to the programme. The method of non-probability sampling, employed in this study was purposive sampling. The sample was selected on the basis of the researcher’s own knowledge, as well as the purpose of the study. Data were analysed using the nine steps proposed by Creswell. The results highlighted six barriers that hindered parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme, namely, Low self-esteem of parents/caregivers and children; Lack of communications between all relevant parties - caregivers, teachers and the facilitators of the High Five Life Skills programme; Lack of role models: Parents’ not being role models as their own negative behaviour hindered their involvement; Lack of an emotional bond between parents and children, coupled with absent fathers; Lack of parents’ parental skills and support networks; and the lack of resources and support with transport to and from meetings, as well as child care for younger siblings. The participants, especially the children, freely expressed themselves, and contributed to the results; thereby assisting the researcher to explore the barriers that hinder parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme. It is anticipated that the results of this current study will form a basis for the High Five Life Skills Programme to develop strategies that respond to the needs of the parents and children involved in the programme.

No description available.

Professional Learning Community (PLC) structures require focused sessions of teacher collaboration as part of developing effective instructional practices leading to improved student performance outcomes. The PLC structured collaboration model has been implemented in schools across the country, however the current body of research regarding PLC structures has been focused on student performance and rather than the teacher learning processes that occur within the model. Teachers must learn throughout the PLC model, as they collaborate, plan instruction, create assessments, analyze data, and adjust implementation to improve results. A mixed-methods approach was used to explore correlations between PLC structure ratings and teacher self-identified learning preferences, with Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Theory as the basis for determining learning preferences. The study included 115 elementary teacher participants from a school district that has prioritized PLC structures for nearly 10 years. Significant correlations were identified between PLC structural elements and teacher learning preferences, with qualitative results providing additional descriptive analysis regarding teacher perceptions of their learning within PLCs. The findings within this study indicate that teacher learning preferences may be a key consideration for school site administrators as part of PLC team construction and development.

Professional learning communities (PLCs) were established in a local suburban school district in 2010; however, since their inception, the value of the program has not been determined. In a K-8 school district, a qualitative case study was conducted to determine the influence of PLCs on the 4 domains of teacher responsibilities: preparation, classroom environment, teaching, and professional duties. The conceptual framework was based on Bandura's social learning theory and Danielson's framework for teaching. The research questions focused on how teacher participation and the allotment of time in a PLC, and the structure of a PLC, influence teacher classroom responsibilities. Data collected included interviews, written narratives by teachers, and a review of formative assessment documents. The participants were 5 teachers, selected through a purposeful sampling of teachers from across the grade levels of kindergarten to Grade 8, who had actively participated in a PLC for a minimum of 1 year. The data was analyzed to determine themes. The findings confirmed that PLCs allow for the exploration of ideas within a small group and that professional development is necessary to develop PLCs that influence teacher responsibilities in all 4 domains by Danielson. Based on the findings and supporting literature, a 3-day workshop was developed to provide teachers with an improved understanding of PLCs and how they can support teachers in implementing appropriate instructional practices for all students. This effort may result in a collaborative school culture for teachers and significant improvement in student achievement due to the recurring cycles of collective inquiry.

How important is the social experience of learning in the postgraduate classroom? This thesis explores what eight postgraduate students judged to be their ‘best’ classroom experiences within one New Zealand university. The researcher started from the assumption that the students’ ‘best’ classroom experiences would correspond with what the literature characterises as ‘communities of learners’ in which the students felt that their past experiences were valued and personal relationships were respectful and relatively equal. This assumption was, for the most part, accurate. Problematic areas, such as assessment, were also identified. International students’ experiences were a key part of the research. Six of the students were studying in their second language yet that alone was not the main indicator of classroom participation as personality (such as shyness)also affected how students engaged with the course content, the lecturers, and with each other. The case study approach raises possibilities and questions as well as recognising trends that suggest that postgraduate students value interactive learning within meaningful classroom contexts.

This research project investigates the implementation of a learning community approach in two rural Australian communities with a particular focus on the initiatives of a primary school in each community. Case study research describes and analyses the developments in each community and a cross case analysis examines similarities and differences in approach and outcomes.

Abstract: This is a case study of a mathematics professional learning community. It illustrates the experience of eight Grade 2 teachers as they collaborate to improve their students'understanding of mathematics. In this inquiry, I worked as a participant-observer with the teachers over the course of five months as a witness to their expanding understanding of mathematics and learning. The case study describes two manifestations: the experiences of the teachers as they develop their knowledge of the mathematical learning of young children; and secondly, the teachers' growth as a professional learning community committed to improving the mathematical understanding of their students and of themselves. Collectively, the findings from this study extend other conversations on both professional learning communities and the development of teachers' knowledge about mathematical learning (often called pedagogical content knowledge). This work shows that opportunities for professional learning that are self-directed, context and content specific, within a milieu that is collegial and supportive, enable teachers to bridge the elusive gap between theory and practice. The specific questions addressed are as follows: 1. How does participation in a professional learning community affect teachers‘ iii pedagogical content knowledge and their understanding of students‘ learning of mathematics? 2. How do primary teachers develop an effective mathematics professional learning community? In mathematics, professional development often focuses on the creation of effective lesson design. This study differed in some key ways. Although good lesson design was valued and employed, the stimulus for teacher learning was the observation of the students as they struggled with new complex concepts. From these observations, the teachers became astute at recognizing particular consistencies and inconsistencies in the mathematical learning of the one hundred plus students they each observed within this project. Together, as a professional learning community, the teachers became adept at using external resources such as research and other resource materials to search the reasons and solutions for students‘ difficulty with mathematical concepts. Teachers' cognitive dissonance as they tried new instructional approaches and shared successes and failures with their colleagues provided the foundation for their growth in pedagogical content knowledge.

If the reforms in public education are to be sustained, it is commonly believed that they must be founded in new conceptions of schooling. Recently, to improve school effectiveness and raise students success, educational researchers are devoting increasing attention to research related to transforming our schools into professional learning communities. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of principals concerning the process and dynamics of the implementation of professional learning communities. <p>Qualitative method was used in this study. The perceptions of the principals were explored through six research questions. The research questions addressed the following areas: process and dynamics of the implementation process, challenges to the collaboration and issues of sustainability in professional learning communities. Six principals, four females and two males, from two school divisions were selected and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were tape recorded and transcribed. Participants responses were analyzed according to the research questions and recurring themes.<p>The findings of this study revealed that the process and dynamics of implementing professional learning communities, included pre-implementation (self-education), the implementation process itself (training internal stakeholders), teaching the PLC concept to external stakeholders, and facilitating collaboration amongst all stakeholders. Participants emphasized that collaboration was a critical component for the positive development and effectiveness of the professional learning communities. <p> Further analysis of the data indicated that time, funding, diverse interests, preconceived mindsets of stakeholders, constant staff changes, workload, fear of being ridiculed or judged, and evaluation/data collection methods were the major challenges in the implementation process. Regarding sustainability, respondents advocated that it was essential to focus on school vision, create a collaborative culture, provide administrative support to all stakeholders, and retain key people who are self-motivated. <p>In the final analysis, this study determined that the implementation of professional learning communities is a question of will. A group of staff members who are determined to work collaboratively will be able to implement and sustain professional learning communities, regardless of some foreseeable problems.