Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006. / Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Prepared for: Center for Public Policy. Bibliography: leaves 120-129.

The purpose of this study was to explore and develop a better understanding of the implementation of alternative assessment in the young learner classroom. This in-depth, qualitative study focuses on teachers&rsquo / practices and beliefs, as well as the student perspective and the role of alternative assessment in the instructional process. Case studies were carried out on nine different English language teachers and their use of alternative assessment strategies and tools over a six month period in their first, second, third, fourth and fifth grade English classrooms. Data was collected through interviews, observations and relevant documents. Findings show that teachers use a variety of different alternative assessment methods and tools with varying degrees of regularity and effectiveness. Teachers believe that alternative assessment shows learning and interaction between thinking and learning, emphasizes the student as an individual and encourages active and autonomous learners. They also believe it promotes differentiated learning, clarifies expectations and motivates learners and teachers. Teachers believe that alternative assessment has a positive impact on the learning process and outcomes, as well as on the affective and cognitive development of the students. Six classroom implementation factors were determined to impact on the use of alternative assessment in the classroom: language ability, cognitive ability, planning, time, training and classroom environment.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-155).

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

The concept of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children presents conceptually controversial and practical challenges on several levels. These include the theoretical basis of the disorder, its manifestations in everyday life and identification and assessment procedures. The field has attracted considerable attention from professionals in the areas of education, psychology and health. One of the major areas where ADHD behaviours can present problems is in school settings. The present research derives from, and addresses, English educational perspectives and practices, based in school settings. It was primarily concerned with seeking new insights and generating testable hypotheses concerning incidence, multi-professional identification, assessment and management of the condition and situational variability in ADHD symptoms in schools. The exploratory study was in two related parts. These were undertaken concurrently using a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques and data gathering methods. Part 1 of the research was based on detailed analyses of data from the first countywide ADHD survey covering all schools in a Local Education Authority in the West Midlands (LEA 1) in 2003. Data pertaining specifically to pupils at key stages 1/2 have been extracted from the 2003 survey data and subjected to further descriptive analyses. Comparisons have been made with findings from five other LEA school surveys in order to obtain a more extensive appraisal of the reported incidence of the disorder. Part 2 adopted a case study approach in which data-gathering techniques included the use of field notes, a range of interviews, analysis of documents and observation. Two classroom observation schedules have been devised and used extensively over a two-year period throughout six individual case studies in schools within LEA 1. The case studies have produced a wide range of unique data on the variability of ADHD symptoms across curricular contexts and over time. The findings and hypotheses generated in the present research have significance for inclusive educational practice, highlighting the importance of multi-professional approaches to the identification and management of ADHD and pedagogical and curricular flexibility in schools. These form part of the Government’s ongoing reform of children’s services as set out in Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003) and Removing Barriers to Achievement (DfES, 2004a).

This dissertation consists of two essays in international trade and one essay in political economy. The first essay analyzes the role of firm-level and country-level reputation for quality in international transactions. It studies the entry and pricing strategies of high-quality and low-quality exporters when buyers cannot observe the quality of a product prior to purchase. In a steady-state industry equilibrium, country reputations are endogenously set by the quality of their exports, leading to the possibility of multiple equilibria and low-quality traps. We show that export subsidies have a positive long-run effect on average quality, reputation and welfare in countries exporting low-quality goods. However, they have the opposite consequences in countries that export high-quality products. We present some evidence consistent with the model in the empirical pattern of US export prices. The second essay studies the choice between home country and host country financing for multinationals facing demand uncertainty. Three main channels are identified. The cost of capital depends on local financial development. A diversification channel arises from the ability of geographically diversified firms to generate more stable cash flows. By contrast, contagion risk may result in inefficient liquidations when firms raise funds exclusively on their home market. In particular, the model predicts that the prevalence of affiliate production and the share of parent finance should increase with the correlation of business cycles between the home and host markets. Moreover, exchange rate risk tilts the financing decision towards local debt. The third essay deals with the emergence of mass education. Using data from the last 150 years in 137 countries, we show that large investments in primary education systems tend to occur when countries face military rivals or threats from their neighbors. Interestingly, democratic transitions are negatively associated with education investments, although democratic political institutions magnify the positive effect of military rivalries. These empirical results are robust to a number of statistical concerns and hold when we instrument military rivalries with commodity prices or rivalries in a given country’s immediate neighborhood. We also present historical case studies, as well as a simple model, that are consistent with the econometric evidence. / Economics

The problem of the research – the status quo of the communication skills of children with slight mental disorder at the integrated school. The aim of the paper was to describe the process of communication skills development of children with slight mental disorder at the integrated school. The objectives of the research were to define the peculiarities of the communication skills of children with slight mental disorder at the integrated school, to construct the model of communication skills development for children with slight mental disorder at the integrated school and to outline the prospects for improvement of communication skills development of primary school children with slight mental disorder at the integrated school. The methods of the research: the systematic analysis of the relevant literature on psychology and special education and the review of the documents of the education system were carried out; the empirical method (the analytical description of Q type diagnostic data), the method of experts and the method of mathematical statistics (the mathematical data analysis was done with the help of MS Excel program) were employed in the research. 30 experts (teachers of special schools) and 75 teachers of integrated schools working with children with slight mental disorder were questioned. The conclusions of the research: 1. The resources for communication skills development (verbal communication, non-verbal communication and the resolution to the conflict with... [to full text]

One of the main modern school’s striving – the education of creative personality. The creature stimulates person to look carefully to himself, perceive his addictions and abilities more, educate ability originally, flexible think and operate. This highly valuable person’s feature should be educated from the childhood in the family, kinder garden, at primary school. The art and technologies lessons, floristic’s bunches are suitable in order to educate pupil’s creature, on the strength of floristic, although exactly for this activities area hasn’t got a lot of attention: missing methodical recommendations, decrease of educational hours for design of natural materials, low schools’ material facilities, all this restricts teacher, who tries realize education’s purposes. Area of phytodesign, in pursuance of development floristic culture, is relevant for teachers, because it is poorly researched, are lacking in efficient, methodical literature, in designed activities descriptions, examples. Floristic isn’t used enough for pupils’ creative. Therefore it’s necessary to constitute right educational conditions to educate pupils’ creature with the help of floristic. Object of research - possibilities of floristic in order to educate creature in primary school. Purpose of research – uncover possibilities of floristic in order to educate creature. Problems of research: 1) to analyze psychological, educational and scientific - methodical literature about creature’s education and floristic... [to full text]

This thesis is an inquiry into the relationship between drama and traditional stories and their potential contributions, when used together, to the moral education of young children. The stimulus for this inquiry has stemmed from my own academic interests and professional practice as a teacher educator for the primary age range. It is underpinned by a belief that this is an area which has been both under-researched and under-theorised but that it is nonetheless of interest and importance for drama teachers, primary teachers and others who share an interest in the moral development of young children. The research has proceeded with two parallel but closely related forms of inquiry. The one has been an academic investigation into those theoretical issues which underpin the project and the other has consisted of fieldwork within primary classrooms, centred upon my own teaching. In its final form, the thesis is presented in two parts of roughly equal length, the one concentrating on theoretical concerns, the other consisting of a critical analysis of my own classroom practice, where issues of theory are investigated as they directly impinge upon it. However, it has been a key aim throughout this project to relate theory closely to practice, so that the one might continually inform the other as the research progressed. In the introduction, I give an account of the genesis of the inquiry, provide an argument for its significance to the contemporary educational debate and give a clear exposition of its parameters. In Part I, I begin with a discussion of current developments in moral educational theory and make the case for the importance of narrative and narrative literature in the development of moral understanding. In applying these theories to literary versions of traditional tales, however, it becomes quickly clear that the area is problematic and informed by contradictory theories and profound disagreement. I propose that the narrative form of these tales is inappropriate to didactic moral teaching and argue that a perspective which is informed by their mythic and oral origins is best placed to help our understanding of how they can be harnessed for the purposes of moral learning. I argue that there are historical and artistic reasons for seeing an important role for drama. in this process and examine how moral processes are engaged and informed by the dramatic event. In Part IT, I introduce the fieldwork with a critical look at how the practices of drama in education can be used to engage children in ethical exploration as defined within the parameters of this inquiry. I provide a detailed account of the research methodology followed by three case studies, each of which recounts and analyses a series of lessons with three separate classes of children, centred around three distinct traditional tales. These case studies are discursive in nature, each focusing upon issues and questions generated by the particular stories and lessons. They are informed by the theoretical exposition in Part I but generate their own theoretical perspectives and hypotheses which I propose to have implications for general classroom practice within this area. In the concluding chapter, I propose that the theoretical thrust and practical findings of the project signal an important role for drama in a school's moral education policy and suggest particular areas of inquiry which would further inform this argument.

In recent years, the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education has become a widely discussed issue. This paper starts with a brief examination of the relationship of political changes to the rapid educational reforms in recent years, including the school-level implementation of ICT. Specifically, the implementation of ICT in Hong Kong primary schools is investigated. Primary data are collected from school heads and teachers while secondary data are collected from the scholarly literature. In addition, supplementary data were collected for comparison from several areas in the UK. A number of research questions are proposed for the study, including the potential benefits and shortcomings of ICT in education, the difficulties of ICT implementation, and the relative cost effectiveness of ICT. Quantitative and qualitative methods emerged from the different research paradigms of positivism and interpretivism. Both are discussed in the research design chapter. A mixed-method approach was selected for the entire research project. Under this approach, quantitative data were collected through survey techniques and qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviewing. These two data collection processes were undertaken independently. The design and application of data collection for both categories of data are discussed at length. Eventually, 681 questionnaires and 17 interviews were analysed. The findings were consolidated and triangulated when possible, and are discussed in the concluding chapter. Throughout the study, responses to several important issues, including workload, time, professional development and school organisation, have been elicited from the participants. Finally, some recommendations are made that attempt to optimise the use of ICT in education. Further research areas are also proposed. In sum, the research suggests that ICT is a 2-sided tool. On one hand, ICT can provide numerous benefits to teaching and learning. On the other hand, stakeholders must be aware of its potential negative side effects. Moreover, ICT should be treated as only one of many instructional media, and it should be used carefully. Over-reliance on ICT should be avoided.