This research explored the role of Muslim faith-based schools in the culturally and religiously diverse city of Birmingham in meeting the religious, cultural and educational needs of Muslim children and the expectations of their parents. The economy- focus post- Second World War mass migration to Europe has acted as the key catalyst for the modern Muslim presence in the UK and wider Europe. While Muslim communities came from ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds, Islam has defined their collective identities. With the joining of their families, the first generation of British Muslims have began to realise the challenges of maintaining Islamic values and identities among their offspring who were growing up within an overall secular and multicultural society. This has marked the establishment of Mosques, community centres and most crucially faith-based Islamic school in the UK. The relevance and desirability of faith-based schooling in general and Muslim schooling in particular has come under a close security in the UK. This study focused on the case of Muslim schooling within the context of multi-faith and multicultural city of Birmingham. The study explored parental motives behind the choice of Islamic schools, their distinctive educational ethos and how they address the challenge of helping Muslim children integrate into the wider multicultural British society. The study adopted an empirical research methodology through utilising a mixed-methods research design to investigate its key questions. The main data collection tools were survey, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The study sample included 133 parents, 36 students who graduated from schools and 33 teachers and governors running Muslim schools. The quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS software and the interview and focus group discussion were analysed by adopting qualitative data analysis procedures. The overall research findings suggested that parents held positive views of the Muslim schools but at the same time had high expectations about their general academic achievement as well as the Islamic Education provision. Most of the parents shared the view that Muslim schools needed to adopt a more integrated approach to the curriculum striking the balance between Islamic and secular subjects. Parents overwhelmingly thought that the Muslim schools did contribute to the social and cultural of integration of Muslim children into the wider multicultural and multi-faith British society. However, one of the significant findings of the survey analysis was the fact that parents appeared to be ambiguous about the overall achievement of schools in adequately meeting the academic and Islamic religious, moral and spiritual needs of their children. The conclusion chapter summarised the key findings of the study and discussed the implications of the findings for improving the quality of Islamic faith-based schooling within the context of secular and multicultural British society.

In 2004 an inner city primary school, Hawksridge, found itself in the 99th percentile in mathematics and second to bottom nationally. Confronted with a plethora of local authority and National Strategy intensive programmes, which the school did not have the capacity to execute or sustain, Hawksridge's headteacher took the decision to turn to research to establish the school's future direction. The subsequent action research project, which used action learning as a dialogical tool, became the base of their rise from mathematical ‘no-hopers' to ‘influential institution' in 2010. This case study focuses on Set One, the model that was created to experiment with action learning procedures, before it was refined and implemented in Hawksridge as Set Two. The purpose of Set One was to try and establish whether or not action learning procedures could develop teachers' knowledge and understanding of mathematics and in particular their subject, content and pedagogical knowledge. It is set in the context of a time when the government centralised what was to be taught in mathematics, how long for and the style in which it was to be delivered through the national curriculum and the national strategies. The 1999 national numeracy strategy was brought in to support the 1998 mathematics national curriculum. In 2001 a new mathematics curriculum was introduced and this is the version referred to in this work. The primary curriculum is in two Key Stages: Key Stage 1 is for children aged 5 – 7 and Key Stage 2 is for 7 – 11 year old children. Set One, composed of four primary headteachers, their four mathematics' coordinators and four Hawksridge senior managers, met for one year to experiment with action learning procedures. It was capable of instigating a rich mathematical dialogue through its open-ended questioning and able to develop a collaborative, supportive culture where teachers demonstrated that they could be flexible in their thinking. The three key features of action learning in Set One are the development of the skills of reflection, rich mathematical dialogue and collaboration. In the analysis of the transcripts from the sessions, these features are unpicked and scrutinised in detail from the social constructivist perspective. Different types of teacher knowledge are identified, in particular, the knowledge associated with the Mathematics National Curriculum and the National Numeracy Strategy and how teachers have integrated these two government documents as part of their knowledge base. An assessment of how teachers use this knowledge to ask and answer questions is undertaken. The power of open-ended questioning is explored and the growing expertise of Set One as a group evaluated, predominantly, their ability to listen, use silence effectively and to build up powerful stacks of questions capable of challenging teachers' mathematical thinking. Action learning comes with caveats: it is not always a comfortable experience because dissonance is a part of the way it functions and for it to work well there must be trust, truthfulness and integrity. It is also a powerful managerial tool and should be used wisely to support and develop teachers' knowledge and skills. Action learning procedures were implemented into Hawksridge before the termination of Set One. The lessons that have been learned have facilitated teacher development. Hawksridge staff are now capable of reflecting and learning from their daily experiences. Other benefits have been improved classroom practice, based on a probing dialogical questioning style which encourages pupils to think, improved collaboration across the school and a more careful and considered approach to professional development. Hawksridge has managed to find its way forward.

In 2004, Mozambique introduced a new competency-based curriculum framed around the principles of culturally responsive pedagogy. Teachers need to strategically use local languages, traditions and culture to build on what children bring from home and share with their families to bridge the gap between schools and communities. This study is a qualitative ethnography of the teaching and learning process in one suburban primary school in Mozambique. The aims of the study were to explore teachers' ideas, values, and understanding about the teaching and learning process, and to reflect on how these views, which are manifested in their classroom practices, influenced the implementation of curriculum changes at the classroom level. The study conceptualised the new educational policy in Mozambique as a discourse that has introduced in the field of teachers' practices new pedagogic possibilities and frame of references. Informal conversations, interviews, and observations of lessons and school dynamics were the main methods used for the process of data collection. Teachers, students, parents and community members participated in the study. Ethnography as methodology offered the possibility to gain multi-layered insights into those contextual, social, and cultural realities around which teachers create meanings for their roles and actions, attribute significance to them, and build relations with students, parents, and community members. Understanding how these realities were represented and reproduced in teachers' discourse and practice was regarded as a precondition to interrogating teachers' interpretations of changes. The study combined a Bourdieusian sociological analysis of the teaching and learning process with a postcolonial critique. Whereas Bourdieu's tools of field, habitus and capital supported an understanding of the ‘whys' behind what is going on at classroom level and the cultural and ideological assumptions underpinning teachers' practices, a postcolonial critique exposed the rules of classification and exclusion underpinning the ‘hows' of teachers' pedagogies. The findings of the study showed that the pedagogic discourse of the new curriculum does not resonate with teachers' understanding of their roles, practices and professional identities. The conception of ‘schooling as an extractive process' and the construction of Portuguese as the most important symbolic cultural capital legitimised the process of alienation between schooling and home socialisation and sustained the power relations, determining the separation between inschool and out-of-school languages and knowledges. If, on the one side, teachers dismissed their responsibility to transform and integrate local knowledges into the official curriculum by constructing themselves as implementers of an educational policy that they did not fully grasp, then on the other side, in the process of making sense of the new curriculum, the socio-cultural values that teachers attached to it were challenging their field positions and maintenance. Teachers maintained their distinction through their ‘Portugueseness'. The ‘Portuguese-only discourse' was the most dominant ‘doxa', taken-forgranted by teachers in their practices, despite the fact that Portuguese as Language of Learning and Teaching was perceived as one of the main challenges for student learning. The implication of the study relates to the cultural micro-politics of teachers' identities. To attend to the introduction of curriculum changes as a technical matter fails to address the power-relations embedded in the teaching and learning process. The new pedagogic possibilities fostered by the curriculum are not succeeding. Without the re-narrativisation of how teachers think about them in order to build new field positions and meanings that resonate with changes, the reform seems unlikely to succeed.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a estrutura de gestão da/na Educação Infantil em um município no interior paulista. Identificou-se, por meio dos dados construídos previamente pela pesquisa mais ampla realizada pelo Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisa de Políticas Educacionais para a Infância (GEPPEI) que abrange estudos em doze municípios pertencentes à microrregião do Estado de São Paulo, que o município em questão apresentava uma organização da estrutura de gestão da Educação Infantil bem diferenciada do convencional em que geralmente há um diretor e/ou coordenador por unidade. Esses dados prévios revelaram que no município E (preservação da identificação) havia uma divisão de unidades por diretoras que funcionava em sistema rotativo de visitas a essas unidades, tendo em vista que não poderiam estar em todas ao mesmo tempo e também sem a permanência em uma única unidade. Realizou-se uma pesquisa empírica, em uma abordagem qualitativa por meio de estudo de caso. Na primeira etapa do estudo, acompanhou-se quatro unidades, sendo duas creches e duas pré-escolas com o intuito de observar as práticas desenvolvidas por essas unidades, tendo em vista a não permanência das diretoras. Para a construção do texto final desta dissertação, percebeu-se a necessidade de concentrar as análises dos dados construídos em uma etapa da Educação Infantil, sendo assim optamos pelas creches. Tais dados foram construídos por meio de observações participantes, com a anotação em caderno de campo acerca das vivências acompanhadas. Em razão deste recorte da pesquisa, na segunda etapa do estudo, as entrevistas semiestruturadas foram realizadas nas duas creches com as famílias, professoras, funcionárias e diretora dessas duas unidades. As entrevistas também aconteceram no âmbito da Secretaria Municipal de Educação (SME) com a Secretária de Educação e Superintendente Administrativo da Educação. As análises dos dados construídos ao longo deste estudo revelaram que a creche, cuja diretora não estava presente diariamente, contava com uma funcionária da sua confiança que desempenhava, além das atividades previstas para a sua função, resolvia situações do cotidiano da unidade, mas recorrendo à diretora sempre que necessário. Tanto no caso da creche em que a diretora não estava presente diariamente quanto na que ela permanecia, foram observadas determinadas situações de desrespeito aos diretos das crianças. No segundo caso, não foram observadas intervenções por parte da diretora em relação às situações de desrespeito. Com base no referencial teórico utilizado acerca do princípio da gestão democrática e a especificidade do trabalho desenvolvido na Educação Infantil, foi possível concluir, por meio deste estudo, que os objetivos educacionais desta etapa eram pouco compreendidos mesmo entre os gestores da própria SME. Tal evidência interferia, consequentemente, na qualidade do trabalho desenvolvido nas creches observadas, independentemente da presença da diretora. Dessa forma, concluímos que a presença da diretora não representava a garantia dos direitos fundamentais das crianças, haja vista a forma de provimento do seu cargo - indicação do poder executivo - repercutindo assim em uma atuação fragilizada nas unidades que eram de sua responsabilidade. Quanto à gestão da SME, havia uma postura hierárquica, em que a gestão das unidades de Educação Infantil era tratada somente no âmbito da Secretaria e às diretoras cabia a execução dessas decisões nas unidades. / The aim of this study was to analyse the management structure of Primary Education in a city located in the state of Sao Paulo. Previous data acquired from a more comprehensive research performed by the Research and Study of Political Education in Early Childhood Group (GEPPEI) addressing twelve cities in Sao Paulo micro region showed that the considered city has an organizational Primary Education management structure that differs from the conventional hierarchy. Conventionally, each school would have a designated Head teacher or School coordinator. The analysed data showed that city E (identity preserved) had the institutions divided by Head teachers, working in a rotation system between schools rather than remaining in one school. Under this prism, further qualitative research based on a case study was performed. Two important points were considered when the field research started, the established relationship with the Head teachers that was comparable to the institutions denominated as matrix where the Head teacher remained in one school on a daily basis, and on the opposite side, the institutions denominated non-matrix had non-effective presence of the Head teacher. Consequently, this observation was important to outline the tools for data acquisition as well as to decide upon the institutions to be studied. Initially, four institutions were observed, two matrix (nursery and preschool) and two non-matrix (nursery and preschool). In addition to the participant observation (based on field notebook records of observed experiences), documental analysis and semi-structured interviews were also applied as a tool for data acquisition. It was identified from the field observation that each non-matrix institution had a trusted employee that tried to solve daily issues for their Head teacher, remaining still linked to the school direction. Conversely, even with the effective daily presence of the Head teacher at the matrix institution, it was observed that childrens rights were not being respected in certain situations, upon which the Head teachers did not take a position. The data acquisition at the matrix and non-matrix nursery was focused on family members, teachers and head teacher interviews. Moreover, interviews under the scope of Municipal Secretary of Education (SME) were performed with the Secretary of Education and the Administrative Superintendent of Primary Education. The principle of democratic management and specificity of work in Primary Education were the theoretical approach used on this study and from what was possible to conclude that the educational objectives are still misunderstood even by the SME, which directly interferes on teaching practice development in the institution, regardless of the Head teachers effective presence. Therefore, the educational aims are not clear, and the management facing its democratic status will remain damaged as well as the education provided to the children.

By allowing students to play an active role in the assessment of their work, can their perceptions and motivations be changed? This dissertation considers the impact of working collaboratively with primary school teachers and students to develop the skills needed to integrate student-led assessment into their daily practice, with the objective of analysing how this affects the students’ motivations and attitudes towards their work. Three teachers and the researcher, the Head of Primary, concertedly trained in how to develop student-led assessment across a 13-week trial that involved Year 4 students in an English curriculum international school in Malaysia. An experimental group comprising of 28 student participants engaged in three rounds of focus groups, while the three teacher participants engaged in weekly working focus groups as well as three interviews over the trial period. The findings suggest that students benefited from their involvement in student-led assessment since, at the end of the study, they could more accurately understand and explain their progress and predict their grades, as well as explain the uses and importance of assessment as learning. The teachers observed successes, such as increased student motivation, enhanced student understanding, more advanced autonomy, and challenges, such as timing and consistency with student-led assessment across the three Year 4 classes. The research leads to suggestions with regards to implications for practice of teachers, schools and policy makers, as well as directions for future research.

The many valuable aspects of Chinese education have been seen throughout the world. For example Chinese teachers have been invited into the UK to instruct UK teachers on how to improve the quality of Mathematics education there. However, from 2001 onwards the government of China has sought to import pedagogies from the West in order to tackle observed problems with their own education system. Many scholars feel the problems the government were trying to address – the lack of critical thinking, a tendency to rote learning and an exam focused mind-set – would lead to failure for these techniques. However, these studies have all been with older students in high school and beyond. Little or no work has focused on students in the primary grades. Casual observation of Chinese primary school students would imply that they have no trouble in coming up with ideas and discussing them. The initiative for the study in this thesis has therefore been to see if this age range of students would be open to discussion based classes. A study was undertaken to determine if the removal of the teacher from control of the discussion would facilitate this age group to partake in face to face discussion. Other aims were to see whether constructivist learning would result or would the face based, hierarchical Confucian background education system prevent this. The original study was encouraging and as a result a technology based intervention was developed to see if this could help to improve the discussion and would allow further opportunities for students to feel able to engage. To encourage this the new system was also made anonymous. A third study was introduced to see if this approach could prove beneficial to the teachers also as to get such approaches adopted in Chinese schools the teachers would also need to see the benefit of the approach. The resultant study has demonstrated that not only do Chinese primary school students engage in face to face study but they also can be further encouraged by use of an online system. Further developments also indicate that the system can be valuable to the teachers who can use it as an aid to find out the preconceptions of their students and thus help them in developing a more focused curriculum. The thesis ends by describing ways in which this study can continue to have a positive impact in developing students’ critical thinking skills.

The overarching aim of this study is to examine the significance of public expenditure management (PEM) for primary education outcomes in public schools in two South African provinces (Gauteng and North West). The study examines whether technical and allocative inefficiencies in public spending have a significant impact on education outcomes (measured by pass, repetition and dropout rates). In doing so, the study makes an important contribution to the economics of education literature, where the determinants of good education outcomes remain ambiguous. Using cross-sectional data from 175 public primary schools, the study finds evidence of technical inefficiencies in terms of misappropriation of education funds (leakages) and delays in remitting funds. While the occurrences of leakages are not strongly associated with poor education outcomes, the study finds a strong positive correlation between delays and Grade 1 repetition. In terms of allocative efficiency, the study finds no evidence that public expenditure is significantly associated with education outcomes. This remains true for public spending even when the redistributive component (the disproportional allocation of funds to disadvantaged schools) is taken into account. Total resource wealth (including public and private contributions) only matters when interacted with certain poverty quintiles and class sizes. The findings from the OLS and negative binomial regression analyses reveal that increased spending on learning and teaching support (LTSM) materials is strongly associated with lower Grade 1 repetition rates. The relationship is even stronger when LTSM spending is interacted with socio-economic status. The study also finds that repetition rates are strongly driven by poverty indicators at the district level while dropout rates are strongly driven by district and school inefficiency

This study aimed to explore what changes happen to a group’s outcomes and mechanisms, in relation to emotional literacy, following a small group targeted emotional literacy intervention. This was achieved through the use of a single case study design which employed the use of semi – structured group interviews and numerical data. The qualitative and quantitative measures were used prior to and after the intervention to allow for consideration of change over time. The statistical analysis indicates that access to a needs led targeted intervention is effective in producing positive outcomes in relation to emotional literacy levels for the pupils that access it. The thematic analysis provided a rich and in depth insight into the mechanisms that facilitate this change and demonstrated a positive movement in the group’s emotional literacy thoughts, skills, knowledge and practices. This study provides an original contribution to the existing research into emotional literacy by taking an exploratory and explanatory approach.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / This dissertation investigated the the practice of self-reflection by primary school teachers in the Mankweng Circuit, Capricorn District. The aim of the research was to investigate the practice of self-reflection by primary school teachers, in order to suggest and encourage them to use reflective models that will help them improve their practice. The literature revealed that the use reflective models can help teachers to realize their mistakes and improve their practice. Furthermore, the literature revealed that if teachers are exposed to multiple reflective models, they will be able to choose the best model that is appropriate to their practice. The study also focused on the theory of Henderson‟s Ethical Model on Enquiry on Reflective Practice. The theory discusses what characterizes reflective practitioner. This theory explains that reflective teachers are experts who know their subject matter and are able to teach it well. This study was conducted in order to gain a greater insight and comprehensive understanding of the research problem, that is, Self-reflection is expected to all teachers but is seldom enforced. In policy documents, self-reflection is stipulated but there are no formalised templates that guide, monitor and evaluate how teachers reflect on their own practice. This may also result in teachers not reflecting on their work at all and not regarding self-reflection as part of the teaching process; and treat it as a separate issue. The methodology used in this study was qualitative approach. Phenomenological research design was adopted; and in terms of data collection tools, open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used. The findings of this study revealed that teachers in primary schools of Mankweng Circuit do not reflect on their practice because of the heavy work-load that they have. The study further revealed that teachers must be trained to use reflective models to improve their practice. Lastly, the study has recommended a new reflective model for a rural primary school context. The model is titled Big four reflective model: critical thinker; resource allocator, problem solver and practice developer. The model is recommended to be used in teaching in primary schools.

This thesis reports an evaluation of the Jordanian Education Reform Program (JERP) initiated in 1987. The thesis includes a review of the international literature on education reform culminating in a conclusion that the most widely accepted approach currently is a mixed-model one that is partly top-down and partly bottom-up. Both quantitative and qualitative types of data were gathered and analysed. The findings of the study were that some seven teacher roles, particularly those of technologist and social change agent, were being performed at comparatively low levels, while others, particularly those of developer of student’s cognitive growth and health educator, were being performed at comparatively high levels. Many problems in the implementation of the education reforms were revealed in the interviews, especially the failure to involve teachers in the process of planning the reforms. Implications for policy, practice and further research were suggested. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)