Successful implementation of equity driven policies has proven to be a difficult and vexing issue especially in developing countries. As a result, many educational reforms were found in practice to be at variance with their founding objectives. The purpose of this exploratory and descriptive study therefore was to trace the implementation pathway traveled by the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF) Policy from the center (National Department of Education) to the periphery (school level). This was informed by the necessity to explain where, how and why the discrepancy developed between the policy intentions and educational outcomes (i.e. effects). The NNSSF policy aimed at the fundamental transformation of the schools since it requires the following things to happen : the delegation of financial management and authority to the School Governing Body (SGB), the day-to-day management of curriculum delivery, the generation of additional funds, and the improvement and maintenance of school infrastructure. The allocation and management of these functions constitute in what is called “self-managing schools”, thus freeing such schools from the bureaucratic processes associated with centralization. This (research) investigation is guided by two research questions: 1. How was the new School Funding Policy (SFP) implemented within and through the different levels of the education system? 2. What were the effects of the National Norms and Standards For School Funding (NNSSF) policy on equity at school level? In essence, this research explains how different education stakeholders understand the new funding policy, and with what effects. In tracing the course of the NNSSF policy, I paid special attention to policy breakdown by comparing and contrasting the views and estimations of various implementers across the four levels of the education system namely: national, provincial, regional and school levels. This research on the understandings of policy was not restricted to formal definitions of policy, but went further to seek understanding on the practical unfolding of the funding policy separately, and in relation to other policies. Data was collected over a period of seventeen (17) months. In this regard, I used multiple methods of data collection including profiling, semi-structured interviews, critical observations of the setting, document analysis, photographic records and structured questionnaires. The main findings of the study include the following : ¨ The National officials showed a legalistic and formal understanding of the NNSSF policy, but such understanding lacked a holistic, coherent and integrated approach to equity. ¨ The understanding of the policy varied among the provincial officials. But such understanding again demonstrated a bureaucratic or functionalist-oriented approach to the implementation of the NNSSF policy. This suggests that much emphasis was placed on observing protocol and official communication of the new policy.. ¨ The regional policy implementers demonstrated a limited understanding of the policy. Such an understanding could be characterised as a disengaging approach to policy and a sense of despair on how the implementation unfolded. ¨ The effects of the NNSSF policy on equity differed across the five case study schools. For example, previously advantaged schools (like Siege) experienced negative effects due to inadequate state allocation. This had ripple effects in the form of exorbitant school fees and the issuing of a lawsuit against a parent who was not able to pay such high fees. ¨ The previously disadvantaged schools were able to do their own planning which led to the timeous acquisition of resources as a result of the financial allocation to the school level. The key findings as well as the implications of this research only make this study unique, but also offer critical insights into policy implementation in developing contexts. The fact that the research involved the collection of data at four levels of the education system over a period of seventeen months generated extensive data sets for policy analysis. The collection of both qualitative (contextual) and quantitative data contributed to strengthening the validity and reliability of the study as a whole. Most importantly, the knowledge gained from this study not only offers policy lessons for the North-West province, but it yields important insights for policy implementers across the education system. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Datorer och mobiltelefonerna är idag allestädes närvarande i skolan och elever, lärare eller skolledning funderar sällan på hur detta påverkar lärandet. Den större delen av den tidigare forskningen visar att med ökad mobiltelefonanvändning kommer försämrade skolresultat. Kemididaktiken innebär ofta att hjärnans spatiala och mer visuella förmågor behövs i kemin och där är den handskrivna anteckningen bättre än anteckningen på tangentbord. Syftet med detta examensarbete var att undersöka om frånvaro av dator och mobiltelefon, kan förbättra elevers lärande i kemi, mätt i deras förmåga att prestera på kemiprov. Dessa elevers resultat på kemiproven jämfördes med en kontrollgrupp som hade med sig datorer och mobiltelefonen i klassrummet. Jag valde positivismen kvantitativa ansats tillsammans med Karl Poppers kritiska rationalismen till den vetenskapsteori ur vilket perspektiv jag analyserade undersökningens resultat. Metoden som användes var kvantitativ analys där de två olika gruppernas provresultat på 4 olika kemiprov jämfördes statistiskt med ett Students t-test. Resultat: Students t-test visade att där inte fanns någon skillnad mellan grupperna; t(120) = 1,98, p = 0,19. En subgruppsanalys gjordes på gruppen med svagare elever, alltså elever som före undersökningen presterat sämre i kemi och Students t-test visade att inte heller här fanns någon skillnad mellan grupperna; t(56) = 2,00, p = 0,11. Medelpoängen för hela gruppen med datorer och mobiltelefoner blev 12,4 poäng och de utan 14,4 poäng. Medelpoängen för subgruppen med de svaga eleverna, blev för gruppen med datorer och mobiltelefoner 7,2 poäng och gruppen utan 9,8 poäng. Slutsatsen blev att mobiltelefonen är en för gymnasieeleven essentiell del av livet och mobiltelefonen bär eleven alltid med sig, ibland även om man vill hjälpa sin kemilärare att ta examen och bli en legitimerad lärare genom att deltaga i hans undersökning.

Abstract This study investigates Swedish upper-level pupils’ attitudes to grammar and grammar education. The study aims to explain what the pupils believe constitutes grammar and their views of its usability as well as attitudes towards grammar education. The research method is qualitative interviews with seven pupils from a school in Sweden. The theoretical framework combines grammar and sociolinguistics. The results indicate that the pupils associate grammar with terminology which has no connection to their own language usage. Therefore, they have a hard time seeing the use of grammar. Furthermore, the pupils describe different types of grammar usage depending on context. They use one kind of grammar in formal contexts and another is used informally and their attitude towards them differs. The pupils regard the informal grammar as useable and permissive and the formal usage as more correct and standardising. Regarding grammar education, the results show that the pupils mainly have encountered isolated grammar education although they indicate signs of integrated education where the grammar is incorporated in writing tasks. In accordance with other research results, the pupils’ attitudes towards integrated grammar education is more positive than when grammar is taught as an isolated element. The study also indicates that the pupils are more likely to find grammar useful when integrated with writing tasks as it allows them to see their knowledge instantly.

This study was aimed at finding reasons for nonparticipation in sport by black learners at secondary school level. It was carried out with a group of grade 9 to 12 learners who do not participate in sport at secondary schools in black townships. A nonparticipation in sport at secondary school level questionnaire was developed to measure the most important reasons for nonparticipation. Among the reasons learners cited were lack of sport facilities, political factors, social factors and factors related to self-image. Social circumstances were found to be intimately linked and overlapping with political circumstances. For learners coming from impoverished backgrounds, sport comes a very poor second. Based on the results of the study, a number of recommendations were made for education managers and sport administrators. Contributions of the study were highlighted and suggestions for further research made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Text in Afrikaans / In the performing arts (music, dance and drama) affective factors do not only play a role during the performance of a work, but are present from the moment when a work is selected up to the completion of the performance. In order to analyse the continuous presence of affective factors in the performing arts, a literature study was undertaken in which the affective requirements of music, dance and drama works in different style periods were identified. The affective implications of adolescent development in a performing arts context were also researched. The most important affective factors which can influence the arts learner seem to be motivation, stress, anxiety and self-concept. A questionnaire was developed to measure these factors in a music, dance and drama context. An empirical investigation was carried out involving 297 learners. With the data obtained from the empirical investigation the reliability and validity of the questionnaire could be determined. Norms were also developed for the questionnaire. Hypotheses on the role of affective factors in the performing arts were tested statistically. The hypotheses dealt with the underlying relationship between the different affective factors, the role of affective factors in the different performing arts, the development of affective factors during the secondary school years, the relationship between affective factors and achievement in an art field as well as the role of other variables such as gender, social relations and home circumstances. Recommendations were made to teachers, parents and learners. The recommendations are aimed at the enhancement of motivation and self-concept as well as the reduction of anxiety and stress. / Teacher Education / D.Ed.

The topic of my graduation final thesis is "Pupils self-evaluation during the children transfer from 1. to 2. level of a primary school (and teachers help with determining self-evaluation criteria). The thesis is composed as theoretical - empirical work. The mail goal of the theoretical part of my final thesis is to define main terms of pupils self-evaluation during the evaluating criteria formation and teachers help with determining self-evaluation criteria using didactical and psychological literature. The main goal of the empirical part of my final thesis is to map the occurrence of self- evaluation of pupils during their transfer from 1. to 2. level of the primary school. The empirical study was carried out during two years. It was focused on 5th grade pupils and subsequently their situation one year after- in 6th grade. The basic method was observation of educational process and the observation was completed by dialogues with teachers, pupils and the school director. The result is, that the self-evaluation at the first level of primary school is strongly taken into account and is used during almost all pupils activities. The situation on the second level of the primary school is different, the self-evaluation is only used by several teachers and there is no continuity between these two levels...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_rosana_catarina_lima.pdf: 2534416 bytes, checksum: 869010040ed841f3ed56b18fbe50afba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-03-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this study was to investigate the introduction of arithmetic mean concept based on the use of graphic representations, and with the assistance of computational environement by using the software Tabletop. To reach this purpose, a nearly experimental study has been accomplished with two groups of students, the experimental group GE and the control group GC both fourth graders of a Sao Paulo public school. The research was divided into three phases, namely: Pre-Test, Teaching Interference (experimental factor) and Post-Test. The activities composing the Teaching Interference have been adjusted to the Conceptual Fields Theory proposed by Vergnaud. To develop these activities we based on graphics understanding levels proposed by Curcio and on arithmetic mean properties proposed by Straus & Bichler. The GE has taken part in the three phases of the study seeing that the teaching interference activities, developed within computacional environment, aimed at both, the introduction of arithmetic mean concept and the graphics reading and interpretation development. The GC has also taken part in tests application, but it was left out the experimental factor. The study has intended to answer the following question: Which teaching interference contributions are proposed for the introduction of arithmetic mean concept into fourth graders , by making use of computational environment? To answer this research question, we based ourselves on qualified and quantified analysis of the results obtained from the tests in both groups and on the answers given by GE students to the activities cards of the intervention. By comparing the intergroups post-test results, one verify that the GE students have presented a better performance than the GC one s, specially regarding arithmetic mean concept. On the other hand, the analisys of the results within the groups pointed to an improvement in the post-test performed by the Experimental Group in respect to the pre-test, regarding the reading and interpretation of bar graphics, as well as in arithmetic mean concept. These data permit us to conclude that the introduction to arithmetic mean concept based on graphic representation has been favoured by the use of Tabletop software, since it allows the students to catch the proprieties and relations envolved in Conceptual Field formed by graphic reading and interpretation as well as arithmetic mean / O objetivo do estudo foi investigar a introdução do conceito de média aritmética com base no uso das representações gráficas e com o auxílio do ambiente computacional, dentro do qual foi empregado o software Tabletop. Para se atingir este objetivo, foi feito um estudo quase-experimental com dois grupos de alunos: o grupo experimental GE - e o grupo de controle GC - ambos da 4ª série Ensino Fundamental de uma escola da rede pública estadual da cidade de São Paulo. A pesquisa dividiu-se em três fases, a saber: Pré-teste, Intervenção de Ensino (fator experimental) e Pós-teste. As atividades constituintes da Intervenção de Ensino ajustaram-se à Teoria dos Campos Conceituais proposta por Vergnaud. Para elaboração das atividades tomou-se como base os níveis de compreensão de gráficos propostos por Curcio e as propriedades de média aritmética propostas por Strauss e Bichler. O GE participou das três fases do estudo, sendo as atividades de intervenção de ensino desenvolvidas em ambiente computacional, visando à introdução do conceito de média aritmética e o desenvolvimento da leitura e interpretação de gráficos. O GC também participou da aplicação dos testes, porém permaneceu isento da aplicação do fator experimental. O estudo propôs-se a responder à seguinte questão: Quais as contribuições da intervenção de ensino proposta para a introdução do conceito de média aritmética em alunos da 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental, com o uso do ambiente computacional? Para responder a esta questão de pesquisa, tomamos por base as análises quantitativa e qualitativa dos resultados obtidos nos testes em ambos os grupos e as respostas dadas pelos alunos do GE às fichas de atividades da intervenção. Na comparação intergrupos dos resultados do pós-teste, constatou-se que os alunos do GE mostraram um desempenho superior aos do GC, sobretudo, quanto ao conceito de média aritmética. Já a análise dos resultados intragrupos apontou uma melhora no desempenho dos alunos do GE no pós-teste em relação ao pré-teste, no que se refere à leitura e interpretação do gráfico de barras, assim como no conceito de média aritmética. Estes dados permitem concluir que a introdução ao conceito de média aritmética baseada na representação gráfica foi favorecida pelo emprego do software Tabletop, visto que este possibilitou ao aluno a descoberta de propriedades e relações envolvidas no Campo Conceitual constituído pela leitura e interpretação de gráficos e média aritmética

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_simone_silva_dias_caetano.pdf: 3425501 bytes, checksum: 0fc727cfd5fbc4fbbfd084519fcd2e28 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-09-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The aim of this dissertation was to investigate 4th grade children's skills in reading and interpreting graphs as well as their conceptions of the statistical measure mean. More specifically, the study addressed the research question: What are the contributions of a teaching intervention based on the use of manipulative materials to the teaching and learning of elementary statistical concepts the primary school? To this end, an interventionist research approach was adopted in a study involving two classes of the fourth year of "Ensino Fundamental" in a public school in São Paulo. One class constituted the control group (GC) and the other the experimental group (GE). The field research was organised in two phases the administration of diagnostic instruments (pre- and post-tests) to both the experimental and control groups; and the teaching intervention, which was applied only with the experimental group. The results from each phase were analysed in relation to two research foci the reading and interpretation of graphs and the concept of arithmetic mean and in relation to the types of graphs used vertical-bar graphs and "two-entry" graphs (as represented in the software Tabletop). Analysis of the results indicated student difficulties in the reading and interpreting of graphs in particular situations, such as graphs with non-unitary scales and/or with null frequency; The reading and interpretation of two-entry graphs was not associated with major difficulties. For the arithmetic mean, an increase of almost 50% in students' performance was observed from comparisons of the pre-and post-test results. On the basis of these results, it appears that the teaching intervention enabled the development of strategies for solving the presented situations as well as favouring the forging of important relations between the two concepts investigated, which influenced the amplification of students' knowledge of Data Handling / O objetivo desta dissertação foi investigar o desenvolvimento da leitura e interpretação de gráficos e o conceito de média aritmética por crianças da 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental, por meio de uma intervenção de ensino com o uso de material manipulativo, a fim de responder à seguinte questão de pesquisa: Quais as contribuições de uma intervenção de ensino com o uso de material manipulativo para o ensino-aprendizagem de conceitos elementares de Estatística nas séries iniciais do Ensino Fundamental? Para tanto, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de caráter intervencionista com alunos de duas classes de 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola da rede pública estadual de São Paulo; uma delas constituiu-se em grupo controle (GC) e a outra em grupo experimental (GE). A pesquisa de campo contemplou duas etapas aplicação dos instrumentos diagnósticos (pré e pós-testes), tanto no GE como no GC e aplicação da intervenção de ensino com uso de material manipulativo apenas no GE. Os resultados obtidos em cada uma dessas etapas foram analisados considerando os dois objetos da pesquisa a leitura e interpretação de gráficos e o conceito de média aritmética bem como os dois tipos de gráficos usados gráfico de barras verticais e gráfico de dupla entrada (extraído do software Tabletop). Os resultados apontaram para as dificuldades dos alunos na leitura e interpretação de gráficos em situações específicas, como gráficos com escalas não unitárias e ou com freqüência nula. A leitura e interpretação do gráfico de dupla entrada não apresentou maiores dificuldades. Quanto à média aritmética, os resultados mostraram um crescimento de quase 50% no desempenho dos alunos do GE, no pós-teste. Tendo por base tais resultados pode-se concluir que a associação da intervenção de ensino com o material manipulativo possibilitou o desenvolvimento de estratégias para a resolução das situações apresentadas e permitiu o estabelecimento de importantes relações entre os dois conteúdos abordados, as quais, por sua vez, influenciaram na ampliação do conhecimento do aluno sobre o Tratamento da Informação

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_sandra_silva_santos.pdf: 11034953 bytes, checksum: 96d14fa68a768f4fb6924d6bf3af4d49 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-05-15 / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo / The aim motivating this dissertation was to investigate the possibilities offered by the computational environment of the Tabletop software in the formation process for elementary knowledge of statistics, in order to respond to the following research question: "what characteristics describe the processes by which mathematical concepts of teachers related to handling data are formed and developed with the help of a computational environment?" To this end, a case study of a teacher of the initial series of Ensino Fundamental (students aged 6-11years) was developed. The teacher worked in a school in the public sector of the state of São Paulo. The field research lasted for eight months and contemplated two moments: the first concerned teacher education and occurred through both individual meetings between the teacher and the researcher and collective meetings (workshops); the second moment related to the teaching activities of the case-study teacher in her interactions with students and with other teachers. In addition, a series of diagnostic instruments, interviews and tests were administered at the beginning and end of the data-collection period, with each test involving both paper and pencil and computer activities. The results obtained in each of these moments were analysed according to three perspectives: the mathematical perspective, the technological perspective and the teacher's perspective. By the end of the investigation, the results suggested that the teacher had made substantial advances in relation to her mathematical knowledge, her mastery of the Tabletop environment and her confidence to develop data handling activities for her students and for other teachers These results suggest that the collection and organisation of data in the tables represent an important stage in the study of data-sets and that the computer, or more particularly Tabletop, can contribute in a significant way to the understanding of graphs and tables extracted during the manipulation of data. However, at the same time that Tabletop can act as a facilitory agent in the learning of statistical knowledge, an inadequate use of particular Tabletop resources can hinder the study of some aspects of data representation / A presente dissertação teve por objetivo investigar as possibilidades oferecidas pelo ambiente computacional do Tabletop no processo de formação dos conhecimentos elementares de estatística, a fim de responder a seguinte questão de pesquisa: como se dá o processo de formação e desenvolvimento de conceitos matemáticos referentes ao bloco de conteúdos Tratamento da Informação , por parte do professor, com auxilio do ambiente computacional? Para tanto, desenvolvi um estudo de caso com uma professora das séries iniciais do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola da rede pública estadual de São Paulo. A pesquisa de campo teve duração de oito meses e contemplou dois grandes momentos: o primeiro deles refere-se à formação da professora, que se deu tanto em encontros individuais como em encontros coletivos (oficinas) e o segundo momento trata-se da sua atuação com alunos e professores. Além desse acompanhamento, houve a aplicação de instrumentos diagnósticos: entrevistas e testes realizados no início e término da pesquisa, sendo que cada um dos testes foi aplicado no contexto papel e lápis e no contexto do computador. Os resultados obtidos em cada um desses momentos foram analisados a luz de três perspectivas: a perspectiva da matemática, da tecnologia e da própria professora. Dessa forma, no final da investigação, os resultados apontam para um avanço dos conhecimentos matemáticos da professora, um maior domínio do ambiente computacional Tabletop e segurança para desenvolver atividades sobre tratamento da informação, para seus alunos ou professores. Tais resultados permitiram concluir que a coleta e organização dos dados em tabelas representam uma importante etapa no estudo de um conjunto de dados, e que o computador, em especial o Tabletop, pode contribuir de forma significativa para o entendimento dos gráficos e tabelas extraídas da manipulação desses dados. Porém, ao mesmo tempo em que o Tabletop pode ser um agente facilitador da aprendizagem dos conhecimentos estatísticos, o uso inadequado de um dos seus recursos pode atrapalhar o estudo de uma representação dos dados e o desenvolvimento de outros conceitos

<p>The purpose is to analyze if the students have any use of their computer education at a senior high school level or if there is a demand for them to proceed studying. Does the students background have any importance or is it their own motivation that makes the student advance to higher education.</p><p>In this report we ask ourselves the question, if the students have any use of the knowledge gained at senior high school in computer studies at a higher level. Do the students have any chance for employment based on their senior high school grades in computer studies after graduation?  Do the schools that follow the senior high school guidelines within programming and databases give these students an advantage towards those that have not received the same fundamental education?</p><p>The method used for the survey is a group questionnaire.  The questionnaire was distributed at one and the same time and then collected to examine the results. The survey results showed that students who seek work based only on their senior high school grades, received only a temporary position for different lengths of time. Computer education at a senior high school is a preparatory education for collage. Those students that have graduated from  senior high school and are keeping up to date with collage oriented subjects within the field of programming and databases, give their students an advantage when they begin reading at a more advanced level.</p>