This dissertation explores what cooperating secondary science teachers attend to during observations of pre-service teachers as they enact lessons in their classrooms and how they make sense of what they see. This study applies the teacher noticing framework, recently used in research with mathematics, to the secondary science context and uses it to describe teacher attention. The study also aims to determine if cooperating teachers use the act of noticing to engage in pedagogical reasoning and draw connections to their own teaching practice. As an interpretive qualitative study, the format for data collection and analysis utilized a case-study methodology with cross-case analysis, and used semi-structured interviews, lesson debriefs, collected artifacts, and classroom observations. Data on the four study participants was collected over the 2011-2012 school year. Findings support several conclusions. First, the cooperating science teachers in this study regularly engaged in reflection and pedagogical reasoning through the act of noticing. Second, the cooperating teachers made regular connections to their own practice in the form of vicarious suggestions, reflective questions, comparisons of practice, and perspective shifts. These connections fostered the emergence of "pivotal moments" or times when the cooperating science teacher self-identified a desire to change their current practice. Third, cooperating teachers used observations of pre-service teachers in their classrooms as a form of professional experimentation and built knowledge in practice through the experience. Lastly, the findings suggest that observations of pre-service teachers be added to the list of professional development activities, like video analysis and lesson study, that help teachers reflect on their own practice. For science teacher educators, this study demonstrates the importance of attending to field experiences as a learning opportunity for the science cooperating teacher. It provides a new way of looking at classroom observations as professional development opportunities and it recommends that teacher preparation programs reconceptualize the tasks they ask cooperating teachers to engage in. Suggestions include designing observation tools that direct teacher noticing toward student learning in science, viewing cooperating science teachers as learners, including metacognitive activities for cooperating science teachers, and reorienting lesson debriefs toward a notion of classroom inquiry. / text

This transformative participatory study was designed to address the issue of limited culturally relevant Spanish or bilingual mentor texts for use in writing workshop. The researcher references critical pedagogy theory, writing instruction theory and transformative education theory to set a theoretical framework. In the study 2 Dual Language teachers currently implementing a Two-Way Dual Language program engaged in a six session book study and article discussion using Alma Flor Ada’s and Isabel Campoy’s book Authors in the classroom: A transformative Education Process (2004). Sessions were audiotaped, reflections were collected, and a pre and post questionnaire was used to gather data. Using grounded theory the data was coded and findings are included in this report. / text

The purpose of this study was to examine how the racial composition of a mentoring relationship influences three types of judgments made by individuals external to the relationship: (1) causal attributions formed to explain successful protégé performance; (2) evaluations of protégé career advancement potential; and (3) reward recommendations for the mentor and protégé. Additionally, the associations among causal attributions, evaluations of potential, and reward recommendations were investigated. A 2 (protégé race: white vs. black) x 2 (mentor race: white vs. black) factorial between-subjects design was used. Mentor and protégé races were manipulated within a written vignette. After reading the vignette, participants responded to items measuring their judgments about the mentor and protégé depicted in the vignette. The final sample consisted of 194 white, employed individuals. Overall, results did not support the hypothesized racial effects on the three types of judgments. However, support was found for the predicted associations among the different judgment types. Implications of these findings, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.

The aim of the research is: to definite the standpoint’s towards a Mentor peculiarities in pre – school educational institutions. The statistic research was carried out. Through the help of questionnaires the need of wardship of pedagogues, who start their work, and students – trainees was cleared up and the situation of its satisfaction in pre – school educational institutions too. The standpoint towards a mentor in pre – school institutions of pedagogues, who start their work, students – trainees, educators and the head of institution was cleared up as well. The research has shown, that pedagogues, who start their work, and students – trainees meet quite much difficulties during the first year of their work or practice. Students – trainees and pedagogues, who start their work, lack detailed help, so it is necessary for them to get such help. It was established, that the situation of the wardship of pedagogues, who start their work, and students – trainees is not good in pre – school educational institutions. The wardship for pedagogues, who start their work, is not organized in pre – school institutions. The majority of pedagogues – beginners are let take care of themselves. The mentor’s work in institutions is often carried out by educators, who are partners in a pair, and rarely is fulfilled by director’s assistant for education. However, the wardship, they render, is not sufficient, especially we can tell that about pedagogues, who start their work. It was established... [to full text]

Majority of the psychologists note that it is natural of a man to evolve gradually. In the beginning of the career, a teacher survives some stages of pedagogical development progress (Frances Fuler, 1969; Feiman – Nemsener, 1983; Leitwood, 1992; Arends, 1998; Šernas, 1998 etc.), but first and most of all (s)he experiences diffidence and self-concern. Only later (s)he starts to care about the teaching situation and the learners. After surveying a range of studies considering first-year teaching problems, a conclusion can be made that there are still very few programs helping beginner teachers’ work. As one of the ways which could help a young teacher solve raising problems, mentorship is being studied as method to establish and maintain partnership with young and little- or non-experienced colleagues. Good partnership should be grounded on common interests, mutual help and knowledge. The present article the deals with mentorship as way to help a beginner teacher’s adaptation and his formation as an educator, in which mentor means a person specially appointed to admonish a young teacher. Since Lithuania joined the international APartMent mentor preparation project in 2001, mentor has been defined as a qualified specialist able to conduct future teachers’ school practice. The present article states the opinion that it would be logical if the same mentor or a specially appointed person could admonish a beginner primary teacher as well, because a... [to full text]

Šiandieninis švietimas grindžiamas žmogaus nelygstamos vertės, jo pasirinkimo laisvės, dorinės atsakomybės pripažinimu, demokratiniais santykiais, komunikacija ir bendradarbiavimu. Kintanti mokymo ir mokymosi paradigma lemia klasės auklėtojo ir visų ugdymo proceso dalyvių veiklos pokyčius. Tradicinėje pedagogikoje ryškus pedagoginis konservatizmas nebegali tenkinti nei individo, nei visuomenės poreikių reikiamu lygiu. Neišvengiamai gausėja ugdytojų, savo veikloje taikančių laisvojo ugdymo principus, besiorientuojančių į ugdytinio asmenybę, jo poreikius, jo kaitą. Tyrimo objektas. Klasės auklėtojo komunikacinė veikla bendradarbiaujant su ugdymo proceso dalyviais. Tyrimo tikslas. Teoriškai ir empiriškai pagrįsti pagrindinės mokyklos klasės auklėtojo komunikacinės veiklos modelį, atskleidžiant jo turinį ir struktūrą ugdymo kaitos sąlygomis. Magistro darbe yra (apibrėžiami) aptariami klasės auklėtojo komunikacinės veiklos pagrindai bei išskirtas klasės auklėtojo komunikacinės veiklos turinys ir struktūra pagrindinėje mokykloje. Šiame darbe nustatyti komunikacinės veiklos ryšiai su kitais ugdymo proceso dalyviais bei sukurtas grafinis klasės auklėtojo komunikacinės veiklos modelis. Minėtą modelį sudaro mikroaplinka ir makroaplinka susidedanti iš trijų lygmenų: klasės bendruomenės, mokyklos bendruomenės ir socialinės aplinkos bei šeimos. Klasės bendruomenėje komunikuoja ugdytiniai (individualiai, grupėse, visa klasės bendruomenė) ir klasės auklėtojas. Mokyklos bendruomenėje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Today‘s education is based on the absoliute value of human being, his freedom of choice, democratic relationships, communication and collaboration. A gradual shift in paradigm of education influences the changes of class mentor’s activities. Strong pedagogical conservativism can not satisfy neither individual nor community’s needs in traditional pedagogy. Fortunately, there are more and more educators who practice personality – oriented principles of informal education. This is based on the test data. The object of this research is communication practice of class mentor collaborating with the course participants. The aim of this research is to ground class mentor’s model of communication revealing its content and structure in the basic school. Relations between communication practice and other participants of educational process have been described in this master thesis. Moreover the model of communication has been provided. This model consists of three levels. 1. class community level; 2. school community level; 3. family and social environment level. Class mentor and schoolchildren communicate (individually, in groups and the whole class) at class community level. Schoolchildren, teachers, professionals, directors, pupils from different classes, pupils’ organizations of self –management and the staff communicate at school community level. The third level is for pupil’s family and its environment, the church and social environment such as friends, institutions and... [to full text]

The focus of this study was on the factors that play a role in preparing novice teachers for their first Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting. A mixed methods approach was used to answer the research question: Which resource plays a stronger role in the preparation of novice teachers for their first ARD meeting, previous college preparation courses, involvement in a mentoring program, or a Mock ARD Training Video specific to the district’s current expectations of an ARD meeting? This study incorporated pre- and post-surveys and interviews with novice teachers in various departments and grade levels after participating in their first ARD committee meeting. Due to the small sample size available of novice special education teachers in the district in one school year (three in 2012-2013), this study involved both general education and special education novice teachers during the 2012-2013 school year. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made to the district to address the identified areas of continued need as they apply to the ARD meeting process.

No description available.

The title of the research is “How mentorship is perceived to contribute to the well-being of an employee in an explosives manufacturing organisation”. This research was conducted within AEL Mining Services, an explosives manufacturing organisation that is part of the AECI group of companies. The object of the research was to gain a better understanding of the association between mentorship and well-being, based on how the experience is perceived by the employee that was either part or not part of such a program, be it formal or informal. During the literature study authors such as Keating (2012:91), Govender and Parumasur (2010:2) and Masango (2011:1) felt very strongly that mentorship begins on the day of birth and continues throughout one‟s entire life where competencies in the mentor role entail understanding self and others, communicating effectively and developing employees and it is clear that great leaders would not have achieved their full potential without effective mentoring. During the literature study it was also found that advantages as well as disadvantage are linked to mentorship, but that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Research identifies the need for sustainable development and although a variety of mentorship models exist that are currently used, it is evident that mentorship does have an impact on whoever is subjected to it. The study adopted a quantitative methodology, in which more than one questionnaire was utilised. Mentorship was identified as the independent variable and well-being as the dependent variable. For this study, the respondents were required to disclose geographical information concerning themselves and in addition to this, the Mental Health Continuum and General Health Questionnaire was utilised in order to determine the level of well-being as perceived by the respondents, based on mentorship or the lack thereof. The Statistical Consultation Services of the North-West University determined the statistical methods and procedures for the analyses of the research. Ellis and Steyn (2003:51-53) make it clear that in many cases it is important to know whether a relationship between two variables is practically significant. The research made use of triangulation where Gratton and Jones (2010:121) propose that triangulation can strengthen the validity of research, and is useful as a means to demonstrate trustworthiness in the analysis. Based on the results generated from the statistical analysis, the mentored group has a better overall state of health and psychological well-being than the non-mentored group. The deduction is thus made that with mentorship there is a significant difference in the overall well-being of an employee that was subjected to such a program. Recommendations were made regarding further research that needs to be conducted, in which a mentorship program is tailored for a specific company/organisation within the explosives manufacturing industry, then implemented and the results of it measured over a period of time. / PhD, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The title of the research is “How mentorship is perceived to contribute to the well-being of an employee in an explosives manufacturing organisation”. This research was conducted within AEL Mining Services, an explosives manufacturing organisation that is part of the AECI group of companies. The object of the research was to gain a better understanding of the association between mentorship and well-being, based on how the experience is perceived by the employee that was either part or not part of such a program, be it formal or informal. During the literature study authors such as Keating (2012:91), Govender and Parumasur (2010:2) and Masango (2011:1) felt very strongly that mentorship begins on the day of birth and continues throughout one‟s entire life where competencies in the mentor role entail understanding self and others, communicating effectively and developing employees and it is clear that great leaders would not have achieved their full potential without effective mentoring. During the literature study it was also found that advantages as well as disadvantage are linked to mentorship, but that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Research identifies the need for sustainable development and although a variety of mentorship models exist that are currently used, it is evident that mentorship does have an impact on whoever is subjected to it. The study adopted a quantitative methodology, in which more than one questionnaire was utilised. Mentorship was identified as the independent variable and well-being as the dependent variable. For this study, the respondents were required to disclose geographical information concerning themselves and in addition to this, the Mental Health Continuum and General Health Questionnaire was utilised in order to determine the level of well-being as perceived by the respondents, based on mentorship or the lack thereof. The Statistical Consultation Services of the North-West University determined the statistical methods and procedures for the analyses of the research. Ellis and Steyn (2003:51-53) make it clear that in many cases it is important to know whether a relationship between two variables is practically significant. The research made use of triangulation where Gratton and Jones (2010:121) propose that triangulation can strengthen the validity of research, and is useful as a means to demonstrate trustworthiness in the analysis. Based on the results generated from the statistical analysis, the mentored group has a better overall state of health and psychological well-being than the non-mentored group. The deduction is thus made that with mentorship there is a significant difference in the overall well-being of an employee that was subjected to such a program. Recommendations were made regarding further research that needs to be conducted, in which a mentorship program is tailored for a specific company/organisation within the explosives manufacturing industry, then implemented and the results of it measured over a period of time. / PhD, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014