Previous research indicates that early childhood experiences, such as responsive parenting and the home learning environment, influence child outcomes including emotional, social and cognitive development. Recent government policy calls for support for parents to enable them to improve outcomes for their children. In particular, support for parents during pregnancy and in the first five years of children’s lives has been recommended, in order to maximise the positive impact on children’s development, based on evidence of increased neural plasticity during the first three years. Few established parenting programmes focus on families with children under five years of age. The Northamptonshire Baby Room Project© Parents’ Course is a Local Authority course designed and run by Educational Psychologists for parents of babies under twelve months. It aims to provide information and evidence from research on how babies’ brains develop in the first year and how early experiences can impact on later development, whilst giving parents ideas and resources to improve the home learning environment. This evaluation investigates the impact the course has on parenting self-efficacy, the impact on parents’ knowledge of baby brain development, and any impact on parents’ practice following course completion. The roles of Children’s Centres and the community also discussed.

O objetivo do presente trabalho é investigar se o nível de governo responsável pela prestação da política pública importa para a qualidade dos serviços públicos oferecidos à população. Para tanto, é examinado o caso da municipalização da educação fundamental no Brasil. Secundariamente, tenciona-se também estimar o efeito da municipalização das matrículas e dos gastos em educação no desempenho acadêmico dos alunos, das escolas municipalizadas e das redes escolares. São conduzidas três análises empíricas distintas de estimação do efeito da municipalização nos resultados educacionais. Primeiro, procura-se identificar e mensurar a diferença de desempenho dos estudantes de escolas púbicas estaduais e escolas públicas municipais. Num segundo momento, utilizando dados do SAEB e da Prova Brasil são acompanhados (retrospectivamente) um grupo de escolas em dois pontos no tempo: antes e depois da municipalização. Ou seja, é selecionado um grupo experimental de escolas que estavam sob controle estadual e foram transferidas para o controle municipal, e dois grupos de controle de escolas que estavam sob a gestão estadual ou municipal e assim permaneceram. Dessa forma, é comparado o efeito da municipalização das escolas no desempenho dos estudantes. Alternativamente, é utilizado um painel de dados de 2837 municípios com informações do Censo Escolar entre os anos 1999 e 2005, ao qual são empregadas as usuais técnicas de Mínimos Quadrados Ordinários (MQO) e Efeitos Fixos (EF) para se estimar o efeito da municipalização das matrículas e dos gastos em educação sobre uma série de indicadores educacionais. / This study investigates the impact of level of government on the quality of the policy. the decentralization in the education system that has taken place in Brazil over the last 15 years. Since re-democratization, the Brazilian federal government has approved several laws that encourage municipalities to invest in primary education. The proficiency tests undertaken by MEC/INPEP (Ministry of Education Research Agency) allows for using two different identification strategies. First, I assemble a panel of municipalities using data from SAEB (a standardized proficiency test), Censo Escolar (the School Census), and expenditure on education to compare the evolution of municipalities and states school systems. Second, I compare the difference in the students performance at school level between two periods of time comparing three groups of schools: those that were already under the municipality control at the time of the SAEB exam (control group 1); those that were under the states control in the SAEB exam and remained in it by the time of Prova Brasil (control group 2) and; those that migrated from the state to the municipality control between the two periods exams (treatment group).

No description available.

This thesis explores the knowledge needed for teaching statistics through investigations at the primary (elementary) school level. Statistics has a relatively short history in the primary school curriculum, compared with mathematics. Recent research in statistics education has prompted a worldwide move away from the teaching of statistical skills, towards a broader underpinning of statistical thinking and reasoning. New Zealand’s nationally mandated curriculum reflects this move. Consequently, little is known about the types of knowledge needed to teach statistics effectively. Ideas from two contemporary areas of research, namely teacher content knowledge in relation to mathematics, and statistical thinking, are incorporated into a new framework, for exploring knowledge for teaching statistics. The study’s methodological approach is based on Popper’s philosophy of realism, and the associated logic of learning approach for classroom research. Four primary teachers (in their second year of teaching) planned and taught a sequence of four or five lessons, which were videotaped. Following each lesson, a stimulated recall interview, using an edited video of the lesson, was conducted with the teacher. The video and interview recordings were analysed in relation to the teacher knowledge and statistical thinking framework. The results provide detailed descriptions of the components of teacher knowledge in relation to statistical thinking that are needed and used in the classroom. Included in the results are profiles of each teacher’s knowledge. These profiles describe ‘missed opportunities’, which were defined as classroom incidents in which teacher knowledge was needed but not used, and consequently resulted in the teachers not taking advantage of chances to enhance students’ learning. A number of significant themes were revealed, linked to knowledge for teaching statistics. The themes include: problems associated with teacher listening; the need for the teacher to be familiar with the data; students’ difficulties with various components of the statistical investigation cycle; and understanding variation and the development of inference. The study concludes that for effective teaching of statistics through investigations, it is necessary for teachers to have knowledge in each of four categories as related to each component of statistical thinking. If any aspect of knowledge is not available or not used, teachers will not enhance, and could disadvantage, students’ learning. Implications from the findings are considered for initial and on-going teacher education.

The combination of literature and technology provides a powerful scenario for learning and it is made a reality through the use of electronic storybook software. This study concentrates on the everyday decisions made by teachers concerning why, how and in what way learning occurs in their classroom. Three case studies show how primary teachers engaged in action research to introduce electronic storybooks into their classrooms, monitoring changes in pedagogy, organisation and management. It is confirmed that teachers can integrate electronic storybooks into their classroom practices to create enjoyable and productive learning experiences. A range of pedagogical approaches was used and the introduction of electronic storybooks had a positive effect on student motivation, enthusiasm and achievement of learning goals, and resulted in changes in the physical composition of the classroom and the way learning was structured. The teachers received confirmation of their own ability to integrate technology into teaching and learning. The results of this study have direct implications for teaching practices and reinforce the need for teachers to develop confidence and competence as technology users / Master of Education (Hons)

This thesis argues for the power of story and, in particular, the story of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien to help build optimism and hope. The Hobbit is under-used in primary schools and this thesis demonstrates that it is eminently suitable for children. Without imagination children are vulnerable to sadness and despair. The positive development of imagination through heroic tales is likely to benefit children emotionally and psychologically. The story of The Hobbit can be utilised to develop the concept of the Hero's Journey, a persistent trope in oral and recorded literature and an archetype for virtually all human experience. In addition, the thesis shows that critical thinking skills and multiple intelligences can be developed through the use of The Hobbit. Depression in young people is now recognised as a serious public health problem in Australia. Research supports the view that children need optimism. This thesis discusses statistics regarding the increased prevalence of childhood depression and aggression as well as alarming youth suicide reports. The inquiry by the Victorian Parliament into the effects of television violence on children is examined and the scholarly works of Neil Postman, inter alia, are discussed to establish the overall pattern of positive association between television violence and aggression in children. Furthermore, the contention that many contemporary realistic texts do little to promote hopefulness in the young is supported with the opinions of scholars who are respected in the field of children’s literature. Tolkien was a devout Catholic but, even more importantly, he was able to restate traditional values through his imaginative works of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This has relevance for Catholic educators who strive to relate Gospel values to popular culture. Christian education must extend imagination beyond morality to help young people to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Through the use of The Hobbit and other books of this kind, children can begin to learn not to fear change, failure or setbacks but to see them as important challenges and opportunities for personal growth. This thesis argues for the likely value of a continuum of this type of learning that begins in early childhood, in order to provide a

<p>The purpose of this study is to research into the role of the citizen and the educational system in Sweden throughout periods of time based on previous theoretic works, and also to deepen the understanding of students with special needs in Swedish education focusing on the primary school years. This shall be carried out by illustrating the different points of view and choices within the educational system that are at hand for students with concentration difficulties and social difficulties.</p><p>I will analyze these points through a cultural and social perspective on contemporary society in order to contribute towards today’s discourse on the norm. The result of this empirical investigation presents a dilemma existing in the democratic educational system of today. Nationally and internationally, the educational system has been structured around a normative system containing both rights and duties that effect everyone working within it. It is not seldom that the rights of the individual collide with collective duties within the school.</p><p>This study shows that the educational system, and society at large, is founded upon a norm shaping the way people exist, behave and act within its boundaries. When an individual cannot live up to it’s ideals society perceives this as a fault that needs correcting. The students that cannot live up to the standards and the ideas of the system become marginalised in society. These students become exposed to various tests performed by the school’s professionals as a means to redefining the individual in question</p>

<p>The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of free education for all on the primary schools in Babati, Tanzania. The study is based on the fieldwork carried out in Babati district Tanzania, where information was gathered through qualitative methods. The empirical findings are analysed using a World Bank model of how educational inputs affects welfare outcomes. The study examines the millennium development goal with respect to giving every child an education. The study shows that a bigger impact can be seen in an increased enrolment in schools. That was the result of removing the primary school fees. This has resulted in overcrowding in the primary schools, lack of enough teachers, classrooms and learning material. However, over time the performances have improved. In the short term, the removal of school fees increased enrolment but resulted in poor quality of the education. In the long term, these problems are decreasing and the educational sector can now provide education to children that could not afford it before.</p>

The aim of the study was to describe and analyse the design of learning environments and how children in preschool, preschool class and primary school create meaning and learn from the teaching aids offered to them in scientific activities planned by teachers. The theoretical reference frame was obtained from multimodal and design-oriented theory, with its focus on the creative dimensions of learning and detailed aspects of how learning takes place. The study is based on video-observations and constituted an in-depth study of a limited number of occasions spent in preschool, preschool classes and the first year of primary school when science lessons were in progress. Four children’s groups, thirty-six children and five teachers took part in the study, from different schools and municipalities. The children are aged between three and seven. The video-observations have been transcribed as text and analysed with analytical concepts found within the theoretical framework. The results show that considering the number of children in the children’s groups, relatively few children take part in the scientific learning contexts. Changes in the balance of power were evident in the learning settings and followed the interaction patterns that were identified in the children’s groups.  The results also show that children create representations – both individually and corporately – in new or different ways that are made up of analogies expressed in terms of equivalent, existential, expressive and figurative analogies. The children’s verbal expressions that corresponded with the responses expected by the teachers were highly valued, were paid attention to and were recognised as know-how. This meant that many of the potential meanings that exist in children’s meaning-making in science become invisible. The results have educational implications for teachers’ work at the local level and for teacher training.

The purpose of this study is to research into the role of the citizen and the educational system in Sweden throughout periods of time based on previous theoretic works, and also to deepen the understanding of students with special needs in Swedish education focusing on the primary school years. This shall be carried out by illustrating the different points of view and choices within the educational system that are at hand for students with concentration difficulties and social difficulties. I will analyze these points through a cultural and social perspective on contemporary society in order to contribute towards today’s discourse on the norm. The result of this empirical investigation presents a dilemma existing in the democratic educational system of today. Nationally and internationally, the educational system has been structured around a normative system containing both rights and duties that effect everyone working within it. It is not seldom that the rights of the individual collide with collective duties within the school. This study shows that the educational system, and society at large, is founded upon a norm shaping the way people exist, behave and act within its boundaries. When an individual cannot live up to it’s ideals society perceives this as a fault that needs correcting. The students that cannot live up to the standards and the ideas of the system become marginalised in society. These students become exposed to various tests performed by the school’s professionals as a means to redefining the individual in question