A área do conhecimento destinada ao estudo de políticas públicas assume uma grande relevância para a academia contemporânea, entre elas, as políticas públicas de educação apresentam forte apelo científico, em especial, no que se refere a processos que envolvam a busca pelo aprimoramento educacional das escolas do campo. Tais estudos são cada vez mais numerosos e significativos, e essa crescente se justifica em função da recente redescoberta da importância do ensino especializado para as ruralidades em um país de histórica vocação para o campo, de base econômica de origem agropastoril superlativa, onde tais circunstâncias passaram a exigir a formulação de políticas públicas mais adequadas. No entanto, a maioria das pesquisas aponta que as fracas condições socioeconômicas determinam resultados insatisfatórios. Desse modo, o propósito do estudo consiste em identificar as principais características presentes nas comunidades escolares do campo com bom desempenho em ensino, considerando o Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica (IDEB). Para tanto, o estudo envolveu treze escolas do campo de elevado desempenho, identificadas pela técnica qualitativa TPCF (Target Population Change Framework), desenvolvida pelo pesquisador a partir da Teoria da Construção Social de Schneider e Ingram (1993). Os resultados apontam, particularmente, para a influência das ações dos gestores de políticas públicas na geração de efeitos positivos, mais do que as iniciativas restritas apenas aos protagonistas locais. Entretanto, constatou-se que em todas as escolas com \"bom desempenho\", segundo os critérios adotados, foi sempre imprescindível o engajamento da comunidade escolar, por meio de práticas aderentes à realidade, com a adoção de projetos culturais e educacionais expandidos à comunidade, ainda que esses estímulos apresentassem caráter predominantemente produtivista. Tais circunstâncias impõem uma reflexão sobre o futuro das escolas do campo quanto às orientações pedagógicas de fundo, isto é, de reprodução e servidão ao modelo histórico concentrador de ativos fundiários, ou libertário para uma sociedade que busca reduzir suas bases históricas de grandes distâncias socioeconômicas, também tão, ou ainda mais, presentes no contexto rural brasileiro. / The objective of this research is to identify the main reasons that lead the rural school communities to achieve good performance in education, considered the Basic Education Development Index (IDEB). This study is justified because it takes up the theme of public policies aiming to revitalize the set of rural schools, it is vital for a country still so economically designed for rural production. The method used was prepared by the author, and is called TPCF (Target Population Change Framework), developed from the theory of social construction of Schneider and Ingram (1993). Through qualitative approach pursues to analyze how changes occur in target populations, in this case, thirteen of the best rural schools in Brazil. The results reveal in particular that the influence of policymakers in the generation of positive effects is greater than the initiatives of local actors, however it was found that in all schools with \"good performance\" according to the criteria adopted, was always indispensable mobilization principal, teachers, families, students, and better, from all those, proving the fundamental condition of the school community engagement through adhering practices to reality with the adoption of cultural and educational projects expanded the community, even if those stimuli presented predominantly productivity character. Such circumstances impose a reflection on the future of rural schools as the pedagogical guidelines, that is, the historical model hub replication of land assets, as opposed to libertarian thought, for a society that intends to reduce large socioeconomic distances, as visible in the Brazilian rural areas.

A presente tese de doutorado é resultado de uma pesquisa realizada na Escola do Campo Florestam Fernandes, localizada no Projeto de Assentamento 12 de Outubro, Município de Cláudia, entrada do Bioma Amazônia mato-grossense. O trabalho de pesquisa tem como perspectiva analisar como se dá o fluxo entre as orientações do Movimento Camponês, da proposta de Educação do Campo e o Currículo desenvolvido pela Escola Estadual Florestan Fernandes, num contexto em que o bioma Amazônia Mato-grossense é devastado de forma avassaladora desde os anos 1970 quando os planos militaristas para essa região instituíram o processo colonizatório. Prioritariamente, o projeto militar, através da mercantilização dos territórios sob o álibi de integração e segurança nacional, “Ocupar para não Entregar”, interpôs o aniquilamento da floresta/biodiversidade, empreendido pela expansão do metabolismo social do capital na região. Num contexto macrocósmico, esse processo vem assolando tanto as possibilidades do Bem-Viver quanto nutrindo o modo de produção hegemônico. E por isso, concomitante ao desmatamento na região, um dos maiores do País, avançam os índices de desigualdade social. O mito do desbravamento e do progresso sedimenta-se na atualidade pelo modus operandi do agronegócio. Na vivência de lutas pelas condições vitais o sujeito histórico camponês se vê diante do grande desafio histórico de se aproximar da natureza, seu corpo inorgânico, como forma de sobreviver. Para isto, faz-se necessário romper com os ranços da Revolução Verde e o mito do desbravamento, ainda fortemente impregnados nas práticas sociais. À formação desse camponês convicto do seu trabalho interdependente à floresta/biodiversidade a Educação do Campo é convocada, prioritariamente, pelo Movimento Camponês, mas também, por todas as pessoas que, de uma forma ou de outra, entendem que a transformação social é urgente e nela perpassa, também, a construção de outra relação do gênero humano com a natureza. O aporte teórico metodológico utilizado neste trabalho funda-se no materialismo histórico e dialético como meio de contribuir, através da investigação científica, com a luta social para transformação da realidade socioambiental e educacional estudada. Para sustentação desta pesquisa estabeleceu- se um contínuo diálogo com autores de diversas teorias críticas, como: Triviños, Mészáros, Charlot, Taffarel, Ribeiro, Apple, e com os educadores-estudantes-camponeses. Essa trajetória densa e intensa de investigação conduziu-me à compreensão de que, embora os migrantes, base do campesinato local, possuam pouco conhecimento do Bioma Amazônia, e a luta pela terra-floresta não seja antagônica às lutas socioambientais, esse tema não integrou o currículo da escola estudada. O mito do desbravamento tem sido muito forte, dificultando uma práxis proximal camponês-floresta/biodiversidade, fazendo com que a floresta seja vista como selvagem e perigosa ao humano civilizado. Mesmo que o Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra (MST) e a Educação do Campo na região tenham contribuído para uma formação omnilateral do sujeito histórico camponês, a perspectiva de se constituírem em “cuidadores da floresta” ainda é uma construção incipiente diante da hegemonia do agronegócio da soja. Faz-se necessário, então, que sejam integrados nos currículos escolares os estudos sobre a agroecologia e suas práticas a fim de que possam corroborar com a compreensão dos Sistemas Agroflorestais, uma modalidade produtiva importante para manutenção da floresta em pé. / The present thesis is the outcome of a research carried out at Escola de Campo Florestam Fernandes, located in Settlement Project 12 de Outubro, Municipality of Claudia, gateway to the Mato Grosso Amazonian Biome. The research perspective has been to analyze how the flow between the orientations of the Peasant Movement of the proposed Field Education and Curriculum developed by the State School Florestan Fernandes, in a context where the Mato Grosso Amazonian biome has been overwhelmingly devastated since the 1970s when the militaristic government policies for the region begun the colonization process. Ultimately, the military project through the commodification of territories under the alibi of integration and national security, "Occupy not surrender" brought the destruction of the forest / biodiversity undertaken by the expansion of social metabolism of capital in the region. In a macrocosm context, this process has been sweeping both the possibilities of Good Living and has been nursing the hegemonic production way. Therefore, along with deforestation in the region, one of the largest in the country comes the advance of social inequality. The myth of progress by clearing and settles has its basis on the current modus operandi of agribusiness. Rural workers have been now struggling for vital living conditions where the historical peasant subject has presently been facing the historical challenge of approaching nature, its inorganic body, as a way to survive. For such, it is necessary to break with the stuffiness of the Green Revolution and the myth of the clearing, still strongly impregnated in social practices. The formation of this peasant convinced of his work interdependently to the forest / biodiversity Field Education is convened primarily by Peasant Movement, but also for all the people who in one way or another, understand that social change is urgent and it also pervades the construction of another relationship of humanity with nature. The methodological theoretical approach in this work is based on the historical and dialectical materialism as a means to contribute, through research, to fight for social and environmental transformation of the educational reality studied. To support this research we have established a continuous dialogue with authors of various critical theories: Triviños; Meszaros; Charlot; Taffarel; Ribeiro; Apple; and students-teachers-peasants.This dense and intense trajectory of research has led me to the realization that, although migrants as base of local peasantry, have little knowledge of the Amazonian Biome, and the struggle for forest-land is not antagonistic to environmental struggles, this topic has not integrated the curriculum of the school studied. The myth of the clearing has been very strong; making it difficult to peasant-forest/biodiversity proximal praxis, leading the forest to be seen as wild and dangerous to civilized humans. Even if the Movement of Landless and the Rural Education and in the region have contributed to unilateral formation of peasant historical subject, the perspective of getting themselves established as "caretakers of the forest" is still a fledgling construction in front of the hegemony of soy agribusiness. Therefore, it has been necessary the inclusion of a school curricula on agro-ecology study and its practices so that they can corroborate to the understanding of agroforestry systems, an important modality for the maintenance of productive forest.

The problem of this study was to determine the relationships of certain categories of job satisfaction to selected personal characteristics of teachers who were teaching in rural communities located in isolated rural Texas counties.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:01:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sonia Francisco Klein.pdf: 2834283 bytes, checksum: 723d2ec3a660ab66b9a5e29e231bf040 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-03 / O estudo, vinculado à Linha de Pesquisa Cultura, Currículo e Formação de Educadores, do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, e ao Grupo de Pesquisa Culturas, Parcerias e Educação do Campo, investiga como os saberes e culturas campesinas contribuem para a constituição do currículo da Escola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Crubixá do município de Alfredo Chaves Espírito Santo. O estudo tem como objetivo geral conhecer como se configuram os saberes e culturas campesinas no currículo da escola. E especificamente analisa o currículo praticado e sua relação com a cultura não escolar. Discute os saberes e culturas da comunidade em interface com o currículo. A pesquisa de cunho qualitativo, com contribuições do estudo de caso, favoreceu a produção de práticas dialógicas com os sujeitos da pesquisa, com levantamento de dados a partir de diversas fontes, as quais incluem a análise documental, a observação do ambiente escolar e da práxis pedagógica do professor em sala de aula, entrevistas com os alunos, profissionais da escola e comunidade local. Recorre ao referencial teórico de Eagleton (2011), Foerste (2004), Forquin (1993), Freire (2011), Geertz (1989), Sacristán (2000), Williams (2011) entre outros para construir as bases de reflexão da Educação do Campo, da cultura, do currículo e trabalho colaborativo interinstitucional. A pesquisa demonstra que a contribuição dos saberes e culturas campesinas para a práxis pedagógica escolar se constitui em um processo permanente articulado na/da prática docente em interação com os sujeitos na escola e na comunidade. Coloca em análise a existência de duas frentes de trabalho pedagógico: a primeira, cotidianamente estabelece a ponte entre os saberes e culturas campesinas no currículo praticado e a segunda frente, se dá esporadicamente no contexto das aulas. Pode-se afirmar que essa situação vincula-se à formação continuada dos professores, conforme dados analisados no processo de investigação. Diante dessa realidade, percebe a necessidade de formação continuada para os professores que atuam na escola do campo com vista ao incremento de pesquisas e práticas colaborativas em contextos sociais onde se constitui a Educação do Campo como práxis do diálogo / The study, linked to Line Culture Research, Curriculum and Training of Educators, the Graduate Program in Education of the Federal University of Espírito Santo, and the Research Group Culture, Partnerships and Rural Education, investigates how knowledge and cultures peasant contribute to the formation of the curriculum of the Municipal School of Basic Education Crubixá the municipality of Alfredo Chaves - Holy Spirit. The study aims to know how to configure general knowledge and peasant cultures in the school curriculum. And specifically examines the curriculum practiced and its relationship with culture is not school. Discusses the knowledge and cultures of the community interface with the curriculum. The qualitative research, with contributions from the case study, favored the production of dialogical practices with research subjects, with survey data from various sources, which include document analysis, observation of the school environment and praxis teaching the teacher in the classroom, interviews with students, school staff and local community. Uses the theoretical framework of Eagleton (2011), Foerste (2004), Forquin (1993), Freire (2011), Geertz (1989), Sacristan (2000), Williams (2011) and others to build the foundations of reflection of Education field of culture, curriculum and collaborative interagency. The research shows that the contribution of knowledge and peasant cultures for pedagogical praxis school constitutes an ongoing process articulated in / teaching practice in interaction with the subjects in the school and community. Puts in question the existence of two fronts pedagogical work: the first, sets the bridge between everyday knowledge and peasant cultures in the curriculum and practiced second front, occurs sporadically in the context of lessons. It can be argued that this situation is linked to the continuing education of teachers, according to data analyzed in the research process. Given this reality, realizes the need for continuing education for teachers working in the school field with a view to increasing research and collaborative practices in social contexts where it is the Field Education as praxis of dialogue

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:31:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Robson_Olivino_Paim.pdf: 1427934 bytes, checksum: 14f245c518e897241aba262fb133d6f1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-15 / The struggle for land is not an end in the conquest of a property. The terms of productivity, social cohesion, environmental quality and education are key variables for the quality assurance of a social process of agrarian reform. This study in the Settlement Congonhas-Abelardo Luz / SC seeks to assess the extent to which the educational processes of Middle Level Integrated Course in Natural Sciences - Agroecology Technician developed in High School Paulo Freire contributes to the development and enhancement of agroecology work in communities and local knowledge of the settlement. We chose a case study with a qualitative approach, with the instruments of data collection semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and documentary and bibliographic sources. Regarding the school, it was observed that this has, in low intensity, the conditions necessary for the potential implementation of agroecological production strategies through the creation of collective consciousness. On the other hand, the objective and subjective conditions necessary for agroecology in the properties are still incipient, with no knowledge about the fundamentals of agroecology and having the need for immediate productive results the main argument in agroecology to develop properties. It is concluded that the settlement in question has characteristics of light training of human resources for the implementation of agroecological production systems. It is suggested further development of environmental education activities in order to contribute to the formation of a new vision about agroecology and, later, the group can claim ownership of the settlement of agroecological technologies and access to agricultural policies, markets, incentives financial and political stability of agroecosystems. / A luta pela terra não se encerra na conquista de uma propriedade. As condições de produtividade, de coesão social, de qualidade ambiental e de educação são variáveis essenciais para a garantia da qualidade social de um processo de Reforma Agrária. O presente trabalho, realizado no Assentamento Congonhas-Abelardo Luz/SC busca avaliar em que medida os processos educativos do Curso de Nível Médio Integrado em Ciências da Natureza Técnico em Agroecologia desenvolvido na Escola de Ensino Médio Paulo Freire contribui para o desenvolvimento agroecológico e a valorização do trabalho e conhecimentos locais nas comunidades do assentamento. Optou-se por um estudo de caso, com abordagem qualitativa, tendo como instrumentos de coleta de dados entrevistas semi-estruturadas, questionários, além das fontes documentais e bibliográficas. Em relação à Escola, observou-se que esta possui, em pequena intensidade, as condições potenciais necessárias para a implantação de estratégias produtivas agroecológicas através da criação de consciências coletivas. Por outro lado, as condições objetivas e subjetivas necessárias à agroecologia nas propriedades ainda são incipientes, não havendo o conhecimento sobre os fundamentos da agroecologia e tendo na necessidade de resultados produtivos imediatos o principal argumento não desenvolver a agroecologia nas propriedades. Conclui-se que no Assentamento em questão tem-se leves características da formação de recursos humanos para a implantação de sistemas produtivos agroecológicos. Sugere-se maior desenvolvimento de atividades de Educação Ambiental com a finalidade de contribuir para a formação de uma nova visão acerca da agroecologia para, posteriormente, o coletivo do Assentamento poder requerer apropriação das tecnologias agroecológicas e o acesso às políticas agrárias, aos mercados, aos incentivos financeiros e à estabilidade política dos sistemas agroecológicos.

A pesquisa investigou as potencialidades da Fotografia para o ensino de Geometria, em especial para o estudo do conceito de proporções, a partir de atividades desenvolvidas com um grupo de estudantes das turmas de 8° ano e 8ª série/9° ano, de uma escola do Campo, localizada no município de Herveiras (RS). Os objetivos foram identificar e reconhecer a realidade destes estudantes, que se caracterizam como estudantes de uma escola do Campo; elaborar e aplicar uma sequência de atividades que explorem as potencialidades da Fotografia como recurso didático para o ensino de Geometria e Proporção; e analisar as conexões que os estudantes de uma escola do Campo estabeleceram entre Fotografia e Matemática, a partir das atividades desenvolvidas. Pelo fato de a Educação do Campo ser pouco discutida por quem está distante do cenário da vida do Campo, tornou-se relevante um breve e panorâmico estudo sobre a Educação do Campo, de modo que fosse possível uma análise do contexto histórico e cultural da escola e da comunidade em que os participantes estão inseridos. A pesquisa enfatiza interfaces entre a Educação Matemática, a Educação do Campo e a Fotografia, de modo a possibilitar situações de ensino que estimulem a aprendizagem da Matemática escolar, até porque são poucos os estudos que tomam como objeto as interfaces entre a Fotografia e a Educação Matemática. As atividades desenvolvidas que subsidiaram as análises aconteceram ao longo do segundo semestre do ano de 2014, em 6 encontros, totalizando 22 horas de atividades práticas realizadas com 11 estudantes participantes. A documentação produzida é constituída de registros fotográficos produzidos pelos estudantes e pela professora-pesquisadora, além de registros escritos e filmagens. As análises dos dados são centradas em três categorias: a) o olhar dos estudantes fotógrafos para as paisagens. Essa categoria é elencada em quatro subcategorias, que são: a beleza e a harmonia do Campo, a destruição do Campo, sinais de Modernização no processo produtivo e da vida do Campo e as moradias dos estudantes - modos de viver; b) potencialidades da Fotografia para o ensino de Geometria e proporção. Nessa categoria são elencadas quatro subcategorias, sendo elas: técnica do olhar - perspectiva, visualização de formas geométricas nas fotografias: o bidimensional e o tridimensional, Razão e Proporção e Geometria das Transformações Isométricas. Por meio da análise das atividades, foi possível evidenciar que a sequência de atividades com Fotografias contribuiu, dentre outros aspectos, para a construção de um outro olhar sobre a Fotografia, seja na percepção da presença da Geometria, assim como no processo de elaboração conceitual de proporção e nas relações entre os diferentes registros do cotidiano. Como produto da pesquisa, foi elaborado um livro do tipo paradidático para subsidiar professores de Matemática no trabalho em sala de aula, a fim de ampliar e aprimorar o leque de conhecimentos no processo de aprendizagem destes conteúdos de forma mais dinâmica. / The research investigated the potential of Photography for teaching geometry, in special for the study the concept of proportions, from developed activities out with a group of students of classes the 8° year and 8ª grade/9º year, a school of countryside, localized in the municipality of de Herveiras (RS). The objectives were to identify and recognize the reality of these students, which is characterized as students of a school of countryside; develop and implement a sequence of activities what explore the potential of Photography as didactic resource for teaching of Geometry and Proportion; and analyze the connections that the students of a school of countryside established between Photography and Mathematics, from the developed activities. Because of the education of countryside to be little discussed by who it is distant the scenery of life in the countryside, has became relevant a short and panoramic study about the education of countryside, so that it was possible an analysis of the historical context and cultural of the school and the community whereupon the participants they are inserted. The research enfatizar interfaces between the Mathematics Education, the rural Education and the Photography, so enoble situations of teaching than stimulate the learning of school mathematics, because there are tehe studies that take as object the interfaces between the Photography and the mathematics education. The developed activities that subsidized the analyzes happened along of second semester of the year 2014, in, 6 meetings, totaling 22 hours of practical activities performed with 11 students participating. The documentation produced it is made of photographic records produced by students and by teacher-researcher, as well as written records and footage. The analysis of data they are centered in three categories: a) the look of students for landscapes. This category is elencada into four subcategories, that are: the beauty and harmony of the countryside, the destruction of the countryside, signs of Modernization in the productive process and the life of the field and the villas of students - ways of living; b) Photograph potential for teaching geometry and proportion. Potential the photography for learning of geometry and proportion. In that category are listed four subcategories, being them: technical look - perspective visualization of geometric shapes at the photographs: the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional, ratio and proportion and geometry of Isometric Transformations. Through analyzing the activities, was possible evidence that sequence of activities with photographs contributed, among other things, to construted another look on Photography, is the perception of the presence of Geometry, as well as the conceptual elaboration process of proportion and in relations between the different records of everyday. As the investigational product, It has crafted a book type paradidactic for subsidize teachers of Mathematics in the work in the Classroom, in order to enlarge and improve the range of knowledge in the process of learning process of these contents more dynamically.

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables that are apparently affecting the incorporation of computer technology in Northeast Tennessee rural K-12 public schools. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between the independent variables--gender, age, and prior experience, and the dependent variables--knowledge about, attitude toward, and use of computer technology among Northeast Tennessee teachers and principals. This study utilized a survey methodology seeking responses from teachers and administrators in Sullivan, Hawkins, Johnson, Washington, Carter, and Unicoi counties. The findings were based on the return of 208 completed surveys which represented a 52% return rate. Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions were reached: First, the overall level of access to computer hardware and software in individual schools is not adequate if computer technology is to become part of the students' learning. Second, schools are providing little or no teacher training in using computer technology for lesson planning, delivery of instruction, research, or to promote hands-on student learning. Third, teachers and administrators believe that computer technology would be extremely helpful in their work now, and in the near future (5 years from now). Fourth, teachers and administrators believe that computer technology will be almost indispensable in the schools of the near future. Fifth, male and female educators report similar attitudes toward, knowledge about, and use of computer technology. Sixth, educators of different ages report similar attitudes toward and use of computer technology. Educators of different ages, however, do not report similar knowledge of computer technology. Seventh, teachers and principals with different levels of prior education experiences report similar attitudes toward, knowledge about, and use of computer technology. Eighth, in planning future training computer training programs, it is probably not necessary to differentiate groups according to personal attributes such as gender, age, and prior experience. Ninth, the potential for the instructional use of computer technology has not yet been realized. The following recommendations were suggested: (1) there should be enough computer technology for teachers and principals to have unrestricted access, (2) there should be sufficient and adequate computer technology training for teachers and principals offered at the local level, (3) there should be adequate support and time for teachers and principals to learn how to use technology and plan for its use in the school setting, (4) this study should be expanded and replicated to include a larger sample size of educators from all across the state of Tennessee, (5) the relationship between age and knowledge of computer technology should be further investigated, (6) teachers and principals who are proficient in computer technology should serve as role models and peer tutors for those who want to learn how to use computer technology, and (7) district and building administrators should provide computer technology training and planning during the school day.

No description available.

The role of philanthropy in K-12 public education has historically ebbed and flowed in relation to public expenditures. Early K-12 education philanthropy peaked during and after the Civil War when philanthropists supported education for emancipated slaves through initiatives like Freeman’s Bureau, Slater Fund and Rosenwald Schools until state and federal governments assumed responsibility (Bremner, 1988; Finkenbine, 2003; Fleishman, 2009; Mays, 2006; Stephenson, 2012). With sufficient public support, K-12 education philanthropy did not see its next major wave of investments until the 1990s, with significant increases occurring after 2000. From 2000-2010 the number of education related grants from major national philanthropists increased from 1,200 to 2,600, and the amount of total funding, $486 million to $843 million (Reckhow & Snyder, 2014, p.3). The latest wave of education philanthropy occurs at the intersection of two key events: Funding challenges for public education and increasing philanthropic resources particularly among a new generation of philanthropists. While significant philanthropic resources have poured into K-12 public education, they are more likely to support changes in education policy than to provide direct support to the schools (Ferris, Hentschke, & Harmssen, 2008; Greene, 2015). In addition, rural communities receive very little support from national education philanthropy. Vermont is a rural state with a relatively successful K-12 public school system that faces significant funding challenges (Pache, 2017; Valley News, 2015). The questions at the core of this research are what role does philanthropy play in Vermont K-12 public education and what role might it play? To answer these questions, the literature provides a foundation by exploring the history of philanthropy in general, and specifically education philanthropy. Further literature review examines the current trends of using philanthropy to shape national education policy and fund programs that compete with public education. A gap in the research on rural philanthropy and rural K-12 education philanthropy provides the impetus for the focus on the rural schools in Vermont. The study focuses on two geographically defined regions in Vermont that utilize two different models of place-based philanthropy to support their public schools. The two case studies include interviews with 24 participants with backgrounds in and knowledge about education and philanthropy. In addition, document review was used to support and triangulate the findings. The findings, presented for each case and in a cross-case analysis, reveal the effective and unique ways these two rural areas use philanthropy to support its K-12 public schools. One model was regional with a focus on broad program support through use of local nonprofits, while the second model was town specific and provided direct support to the local schools. Both cases demonstrate the challenges and opportunities associated with place-based philanthropy. The conclusion offers further information on how schools and communities might develop their own place-based philanthropy.

This study investigates the beliefs of Aboriginal children, their parents, Aboriginal educators and non-Aboriginal teachers towards the learning and teaching of mathematics in years 5 and 6 in a rural community in New South Wales. Areas explored include the beliefs expressed by the students, their parents and educators about mathematics education, how these sets of beliefs compare and contrast, and what the pedagogical consequences are for mathematics education based on these beliefs. The study was conducted in a rural school following trials in other sites. Conversational interviews were conducted and from the transcript sixteen core categories of beliefs across all participant groups were identified. The belief statements demonstrate the complex nature of the social, cultural, economic, historical and political contexts in which the learning of mathematics takes place. A number of actions intended to enhance Aboriginal children's learning of mathematics are proposed. Non-Aboriginal teachers need to share their beliefs with the Aboriginal community, and conversations need to occur between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people about mathematics education. Teachers require pedagogical strategies that address Aboriginal children's learning of mathematics, and educational systems need to include an Aboriginal perspective in mathematics curricula. Future collaborative research in mathematics education has to be based on the premise of researchers working in close co-operation with Aboriginal people / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)