The goal of this independent thesis is to follow through the process of learning Brahms concerto no. 1 from the very beginning until the performance. The goal is to provide an analysis of this process, thus understanding it better and also gaining new insights in what can be improved.  I used a diary of the practicing process to write down my experiences, videos from the practicing room and performance, analysis of the practicing methods, and also analysis of the performances as tools to investigate the topic. I hope that this thesis will be a work of interest for musicians who are interested in getting new insights into the practicing and performing process of a pianist.

Research has ranked electrochemistry as one of the more difficult topics to teach and learn. Examiners in South Africa have complained about the poor performance in electrochemistry related concepts in Grade 12 public exams. This may suggest that the physical science teachers may not be teaching it very well. Accomplished teachers use specialized knowledge to transform their knowledge of subject matter into a form that can easily be understood by learners, known as pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Little is known about the quality of PCK of teachers within this topic and currently there is no instrument to measure quality of topic specific PCK of practicing physical science teachers. The main purpose of the study was to design and validate an instrument that could be used to measure the quality of topic specific PCK of practicing physical science teachers in electrochemistry. The study was a methodology study which used a Mixed Methods (MM) approach. MM were used because the design of the instrument requires both qualitative and quantitative methods in the various steps towards its creation. The topic specific PCK (TSPCK) theoretical framework guided the design of the instrument. TSPCK comprises of 5 components namely: (i) Learners’ Prior Knowledge including misconceptions; (ii) Curricular Saliency; (iii) What makes topic easy or difficult to understand; (iv) Representations or models; and (v) Conceptual teaching Strategies that enables transformation of content knowledge into its teachability. The new instrument was designed to elucidate TSPCK in electrochemistry according to these five components which each component represented a test item. The design process followed these steps chronologically: (i) Conceptualization of test items, (ii) construction of the instrument and judgment of items, (iii) piloting and construction of the actual instrument and finally validation of the instrument. After its conceptualization and development, the instrument was validated with a convenience sample of 21 practicing physical science teachers in Johannesburg schools, Gauteng province, South Africa. A topic specific PCK rubric was used to score the teachers’ responses on a 4 point scale-from 1 “limited” to 4 “Exemplary” Topic Specific PCK. The Rasch Winsteps program analysed the teachers’ scores and ascertained the validity of the instrument through statistics of goodness of fit. In addition, the Rasch 2 model determined the hierarchy difficulty of topic specific PCK components as well as instrument reliability. Both the items and persons’ responses fell within an acceptable conventional range of -2 and +2 Infit/outfit statistics. The item and person reliability indices of the developed instrument were 0.97 and 0.89 respectively. The results show that it is possible to design an instrument that is valid and reliable instrument. Data on content knowledge of teachers was collected using the Content Knowledge test. It was found that a high concentration of teachers possessed a sound knowledge of electrochemistry but with a corresponding low topic specific PCK. This is likely the reason of poor performance of grade 12 learners in exams on electrochemistry related topics. Furthermore, a positive statistically significant linear relationship was found to exist between Content knowledge and the measured teachers’ topic specific PCK. The findings suggest that TSPCK instrument might be used for teaching purposes so as to boost the practicing teachers’ TSPCK on electrochemistry. In addition, the findings suggest that the instrument might be incorporated as a training tool in inservice teacher workshops.

I denna uppsats försöker jag beskriva vad begreppet improvisation innebär inom jazzmusik. Ämnet improvisation är för mig väldigt viktigt, det är ett ämne som jag valt att specialisera mig på i min musikhögskoleutbildning. Min förmåga att improvisera har hjälpt mig i många situationer i livet, framförallt sådana situationer där det gäller att kunna vara flexibel, till exempel spel- eller musikundervisningssituationer. Undersökningen baseras i huvudsak på intervjuer med fem olika svenska jazzmusiker. Jag har kommit fram till att begreppet improvisation är komplext och svårdefinierat. Det finns dock vissa, vanligen återkommande, viktiga ingredienser inom improvisation som definierar vad som är kvalitet, bra eller dåligt. Improvisation är en social sysselsättning. Det handlar om att vara lyhörd, att påverkas av sin omgivning. Samtidigt måste man som musiker ha goda instrumentfärdigheter för att obehindrat kunna uttrycka de musikaliska idéer som kommer till dig i stunden. Det finns många likheter med att lära sig ett språk. För att bli en god improvisatör så krävs det att man tänker på vad man spelar och varför på samma sätt som vi i vardagliga livet reflekterar över vår personlighet och våra handlingar. / In this essay I will try to determine the meaning of the word improvisation within the field of jazz music. The survey is based on five different interviews with jazz musicians. In my inquiry, I have found that the word improvisation is complex and difficult to explain. There are however, some common, key ingredients that can define quality in an improvisation. Improvisation is a social activity. It is about having a keen ear to what´s going on around you. In addition to this, you need, as a musician, good instrumental skills to be able to express the musical ideas that come to you. There are many similarities to learning a language. To be a good improviser you need to think about what you play and why you play it, in the same way that we, in everyday life, reflect on our personality and our actions.

Syftet med arbetet är att identifiera olika typer av resurser för lärande. I detta självständiga arbete beskrivs tre olika typer av strategier för instudering med fokus på textinlärning, och vid varje ny strategi användes en ny sång. Studien baseras på mig själv i form av loggbok och videoinspelningar, som gjordes över tre veckor med totalt 15 loggboksinlägg och sex videoinspelningar under hösten 2015. Arbetet utgår från ett multimodalt designteoretiskt perspektiv. Resultatet visar hur jag använder mig av olika resurser för att studera in tre olika sångtexter, som studerades in utifrån tre olika textinlärningsstrategier. Slutligen diskuteras resultatet i relation till det designteoretiska perspektivet och tidigare forskning. / In this independent project three kinds of strategies for learning with focus on learning lyrics is described and explored. For every new strategy a new song is used. The purpose is to explore and identify different kinds of resources when learning. The study is based on observations of myself in form of a logbook and video recordings over three weeks with a total of 15 practicing sessions in the fall of 2015. The starting point is a multimodal and design theoretical perspective. The result show how I use different resources when learning different lyrics by using three kinds of strategies for learning lyrics. Finally I discuss, in relation to the design theoretical perspective and earlier research.

Esta tese tem como objetivo estudar as práticas de formação docente, no período compreendido entre 1944 -1964, em duas instituições situadas na cidade de Ribeirão Preto- SP: a \"Escola Normal Livre Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora\", instalada em 1944, pela Congregação das Filhas de Maria Auxiliadora, ala feminina da Ordem Salesiana e a \"Escola Normal Oficial\", criada em 1946, pelo governo do estado de São Paulo. O ano de 1944, marca a data do surgimento da Instituição de ensino Salesiana e a introdução do Pré-Normal no curso de formação de professores primários com o Decreto-Lei estadual paulista, nº. 14.002, de 25 de maio de 1944. E, o ano de 1964, sinaliza o início de mudanças na organização do ensino normal com a implantação no estado de São Paulo das normas constantes da Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional, a de nº. 4.024/61. As comparações consideraram o corpo discente; o quadro dos docentes quanto à formação religiosa e profissional, bem como as construções de gênero; a grade curricular e os conteúdos empregados no currículo formal, para tentar identificar em que proporção eles foram ou não efetivamente aplicados nestas duas Instituições; além de uma análise dos manuais didáticos usados nas disciplinas pedagógicas. Por último, foram recuperados os percursos dos egressos enquanto profissionais do magistério e de outras carreiras que exigiram, ou não, o prosseguimento dos estudos. Os referenciais que deram sustentação teórica a esta tese procederam de estudos de Roger Chartier e Lynn Hunt sobre História Cultural; Vinão Frago e Dominique Julia a respeito de cultura escolar; Vinão Frago e Augustín Escolano sobre tempo e espaço escolares; Michel Young e Ivor Goodson acerca do currículo; Joan Scott e Guacira Louro a respeito de gênero; e Norberto Bobbio e Esther Buffa acerca do público e do privado. A investigação realizada, de caráter históricodocumental, valeu-se de leis, planos, programas de ensino e, principalmente de documentos encontrados nos arquivos e nas bibliotecas do \"Colégio Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora\" e da \"Escola Otoniel Mota\" de Ribeirão Preto-SP. Contou, ainda, com depoimentos de ex-alunos e antigos professores. A abertura das duas escolas pesquisadas ampliou oportunidades de prosseguimento dos estudos para os concluintes do Curso Ginasial com perspectivas de ingresso no magistério primário e de aprimoramento cultural, sobretudo para as mulheres pertencentes às classes médias. Os programas de ensino deixaram entrever o interesse por uma diretriz pedagógica moderna de formação docente, com raízes no ideário escolanovista. A uniformização do ensino normal não impediu o desenvolvimento de práticas formativas na configuração de perfis distintos, marcados, sobretudo, por finalidades próprias de cada instituição. Enquanto a escola pública visava à profissionalização em um sentido laico, a Salesiana privilegiava a formação docente católica. Em sua grande maioria mulheres, os egressos das escolas normais investigadas converteram o capital cultural adquirido durante o Curso Normal em ocupações dentro e fora do magistério primário. Por suas peculiaridades metodológicas e resultados alcançados, este trabalho contribui para a história das práticas de formação docente, bem como para a história das instituições escolares. / This thesis has the purpose to study the practices of the docent formation, in the period comprehended between 1944-1964, in two institutions situated at the city of Ribeirão Preto- SP: The \"Escola Normal Livre Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora\", installed in 1944 by the Congregação das Filhas de Maria Auxiliadora, feminine line of the Salesian Order and the \"Escola Normal Oficial\" created in 1946, by the government of the state of São Paulo. The year of 1944, marks the date of the appearance of the Salesian teaching institution and introduction of the Pre- Normal in the formation course of primary professors with the paulista state Ordinance- Law n°. 14.002, from the 25th of May 1944. And, the year of 1964, signalizes the beginning of the changes at the organization of the normal teaching with the implementation in the state of São Paulo of the constant norms of the Law of Guidelines and Bases of the National Education, the one of n° 4.024/61. The comparisons consider the student body; the docent group, with relation to the religious and professional formation, as well as the gender constructions; the curricular grading and the contents used in the formal curriculum, to try to identify in what proportion they were or not indeed applied in these two institutions; besides an analysis of the didactic manuals used in the pedagogic disciplines. Finally, were recovered the egressed courses while the teaching professionals and the ones from other carriers demanded, or not, the pursuit of the studies. The references that gave theoretical sustainability to this thesis came from studies of Roger Chartier and Lynn Hunt about the Culture History, Vinão Frago and Dominique Julia around the school culture, Vinão Frango and Augustín Escolano about the schools time and space, Michel Young and Ivor Goodson about the curriculum, Joan Scott and Guacira Louro about gender and Norberto Bobbio and Esther Buffa about the public and private. The accomplished investigation, of historical-documental character, used laws, plans, teaching programs and, mainly of documents found in the files and libraries of the \"Colégio Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora\" and of the \"Escola Otoniel Mota\" in Ribeirão Preto-SP. It counted as well, with the deposition of ex-students and former teachers. The opening of the two researched schools enlarged opportunities of pursuit of the studies for the persons who were concluding the Gymnasium Course with the perspective to enter the primary teaching and of cultural improvement, especially for women that belonged to the middle class. The teaching programs let to glimpse the interest for a modern pedagogic guideline of docent formation, with roots in the new school ideology.The standardization of the normal teaching didn\'t impede the development of formative practices in the configuration of different profiles, marked, above all, for own purposes of each institution. While the public school sought to the professionalization in a laic sense, the Salesian privileged the Catholic docent formation. In the majority women, the egressed from the normal schools investigated converted the cultural capital acquired during the Normal Course in occupations inside and outside the primary teaching. Because of its methodological peculiarities and reached results, this work contributes to the history of the docent formation practices, as well as for the history of the educational institutions.

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) account for approximately 40% of all students receiving special education services. Debate among professionals regarding the causes of SLDs and the most appropriate methods used to identify SLDs persists. This debate may be related to the increase in prevalence of SLDs since the implementation of special education law in 1975. There are three prominent theories regarding the cause of SLDs: (a) environmental theory, (b) biological theory, and (c) interactional theory. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) allows school districts to implement the following SLD identification procedures: (a) the IQAchievement discrepancy method, (b) response-to-intervention (RtI), and/or (c) alternative research-based methods, such as personal strengths and weaknesses (PSW). This study employed survey methodology to evaluate the intersection between school psychologists’ beliefs about the cause of SLDs, their preferred practices, their actual practices, and their job satisfaction associated with assessment. School psychologists are one member of a multidisciplinary team aimed toward identifying children with SLDs and are estimated to spend nearly half their time in special education decision making. This study also evaluated the influence alignment between school psychologists preferred and actual practices have on their job satisfaction associated with assessment. Findings showed that, similar to other professionals, school psychologists’ had varying beliefs about the causes of SLDs. Environmental beliefs were significantly correlated with a preference for RtI for SLD identification, while biological beliefs were significantly correlated with preferences for the IQ-Achievement discrepancy method and alternative research based procedures for SLD identification. Preferred methods of identification impacted all three identification methods, and beliefs about the cause of SLDs impacted actual PSW practices, above and beyond individual and school characteristics. Finally, greater alignment between preferred SLD identification practices and actual SLD identification practices was associated with higher levels of job satisfaction related to assessment. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

<p>In this essay, I will treat the view of learning and musicianship among educated and uneducated musicians in improvised music. The survey is based on six different interviews with musicians in improvised music. In my inquiry, I have found that there are some differences between the two groups in their view of the subject.</p>

<p>In this essay, I will treat the view of learning and musicianship among educated and uneducated musicians in improvised music. The survey is based on six different interviews with musicians in improvised music. In my inquiry, I have found that there are some differences between the two groups in their view of the subject.</p>

Practicing is an ineluctable component in the pursuit of achieving musical goals. This is particularly true in the Western model of music education that is, for the most part, characterized by private lessons or ensemble rehearsals that typically occur only once each week. How dependent is the motivation to learn music on effective practicing? Novices often abandon music education simply because “it’s too hard.” Is the frustration the result of a lack of success due to ineffective practicing? Effective practicing evolves naturally with increased musical knowledge and expertise. Overall, a musician’s development towards effective practicing may be described as the acquisition of a metacognitive awareness of one’s own learning and hence a more active participation in that learning that is characterized by self-regulatory behaviours. This research asks if guided practice at an early age might prove a catalyst in the development of effective practicing which naturally occurs with musical expertise. Over the course of an academic school year, 13 novice musicians engaged in guided practice sessions with the researcher. The participants were private piano students and young band members. Data gathered through interviews, questionnaires and video recordings of lessons and practice sessions at the musicians’ homes were analyzed within the theoretical framework of self-regulation. Data were also analyzed according to a self-system theoretical framework of expectancy-value theory, self-determination theory, attribution theory, and goal orientation. Evidence from the data suggests an increase in cognitive and metacognitive processes that characterize self-regulated learning. Musicians also indicate an increase in motivation to engage in practicing as well as greater self-efficacy in addressing musical challenges. Effective pedagogical approaches for guided practice are discussed as are implications for music education. Suggestions are made for further research.

In this essay, I will treat the view of learning and musicianship among educated and uneducated musicians in improvised music. The survey is based on six different interviews with musicians in improvised music. In my inquiry, I have found that there are some differences between the two groups in their view of the subject.