In this investigation, the researcher explored the construction of conceptual knowledge within the discipline of science through a review of related theory and research.<p>Following a review of literature that emphasizes the theory of social constructivism as well as critical pedagogy as significant to learning; and utilizing a working definition of the six strands of language as established by Saskatchewan Education; the researcher observed and interviewed three Grade Five students and their teacher throughout their involvement in a science unit. <p>In-class observations of the strands of language as well as the information from the interview transcripts were triangulated with the literature to provide validity for the theory and support the researchers implications for an inquiry model of teaching and learning.<p>Findings suggest an absence of explicit language being modeled and expected within the course of study as well as the absence of a framework of science concepts. Disconnections and fragmentations throughout various levels of pedagogy within curriculum, resources, strategies and activities were revealed. The unintentional illusion of a rich learning experience was created through collaborative, hands-on activities, demonstrations and modeling by the teacher, fluency and accuracy in reading as well as the correct completion of activities. In reality these acts merely masked the absence of deeper transformational experiences which are required for students to build the conceptual knowledge and linguistic competence needed for academic success.

Pedagogical documentation inspired by the early childhood schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy is a tool for teacher inquiry, learning, and development. Teachers systematically reflect upon artifacts that make visible children’s thinking, using for instance, digital photographs, quotations of children’s verbal thoughts, and teachers’ field notes. In two Reggio-inspired childcare centres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, early childhood educators formed two teacher learning groups to study pedagogical documentation. As participants studied these artifacts (i.e. documentation), an underlying question emerges: What happens to teacher learning when early childhood educators form teacher learning groups to study pedagogical documentation in childcare centres? From this question, participants collaborated throughout six to seven research meetings to discuss and reflect upon documentation that they created. Portraiture research as a method of qualitative inquiry (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1983; Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997) offered a range of data collection methods used in this study, including videotaped research meetings, participants’ documentation work, open-ended group interview, and researcher’s field notes. These methods informed the portraiture research and constructed a vivid, in-depth look at participants’ experiences in studying pedagogical documentation in teacher learning groups. The results of this study are retold through two portraits focusing on the co-construction of teacher knowledge in teacher learning groups. Participants’ experiences such as deconstructing barriers to documentation practice, developing new documentation skills, critical self-reflection upon teacher practice, and emergent curriculum planning generated two rich portraits of teacher learning and development. Essential themes, conclusions, and implications appear in the examination of the two portraits and are explored in the final chapter. The themes included: (1) Skills of documentation, (2) Teacher learning and, (3) Teacher collaboration. Overall, this research study exposed the questions and assumptions, process of inquires, and new teacher knowledges and practices developed by two groups of early childhood educators in this study.

Pedagogical documentation inspired by the early childhood schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy is a tool for teacher inquiry, learning, and development. Teachers systematically reflect upon artifacts that make visible children’s thinking, using for instance, digital photographs, quotations of children’s verbal thoughts, and teachers’ field notes. In two Reggio-inspired childcare centres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, early childhood educators formed two teacher learning groups to study pedagogical documentation. As participants studied these artifacts (i.e. documentation), an underlying question emerges: What happens to teacher learning when early childhood educators form teacher learning groups to study pedagogical documentation in childcare centres? From this question, participants collaborated throughout six to seven research meetings to discuss and reflect upon documentation that they created. Portraiture research as a method of qualitative inquiry (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1983; Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997) offered a range of data collection methods used in this study, including videotaped research meetings, participants’ documentation work, open-ended group interview, and researcher’s field notes. These methods informed the portraiture research and constructed a vivid, in-depth look at participants’ experiences in studying pedagogical documentation in teacher learning groups. The results of this study are retold through two portraits focusing on the co-construction of teacher knowledge in teacher learning groups. Participants’ experiences such as deconstructing barriers to documentation practice, developing new documentation skills, critical self-reflection upon teacher practice, and emergent curriculum planning generated two rich portraits of teacher learning and development. Essential themes, conclusions, and implications appear in the examination of the two portraits and are explored in the final chapter. The themes included: (1) Skills of documentation, (2) Teacher learning and, (3) Teacher collaboration. Overall, this research study exposed the questions and assumptions, process of inquires, and new teacher knowledges and practices developed by two groups of early childhood educators in this study.

The aim of this study was to shed light on the phenomenon of sex purchase amongst men from the perspective of professionals working at KAST*. Our main research questions concerned who the sex-purchasing men are, what their incentives are and furthermore how the professionals depict their work with these clients. In order to examine this we conducted three qualitative research interviews. The theoretical framework used to examine our results consisted of social constructivism and professional acting space. Main results show, contrary to research, that the “typical” sex buyer does not exist, nor do specific motives. Instead, our interviewees prefer to speak of a mutual pattern amongst the sex buyers, referred to as an obsessive-compulsive sexual behaviour. In addition, our interviewees emphasize the importance of distinguishing between the act and the individual. Other findings show that although none of the units use evidence-based practice, all interviewees claim their methods are effective and moreover they all describe their professional acting space as almost unlimited. With our interviewees’ testimonies differing in several ways from the image of sex buyers common amongst the public and some researchers, we hope our findings can contribute to a more nuanced view of sex buyers.   * Abbreviation for the unit within the social services working with sex buyers

Rupert Smith (2006) menar att det har skett ett paradigmskifte inom krigföringen. Från ett industriellt krig till ett krig "amongst the People". De moderna konflikterna vi ser idag i Irak och Afghanistan går i linje med hans resonemang. Motståndaren är inte längre en annan nationalstat, utan en icke-statlig aktör som inte uppträder på ett militärt traditionellt sätt. Numera är andra entiteter än plattformar viktiga, till exempel klanstrukturer eller kultur. Utifrån detta måste vi då ställa oss frågan om världen har förändrats, eller åtminstone om den militära verkligen har gjort det och hur militären har uppfattar denna förändring. Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i en diskursanalys av militär verklighet och ställer sig frågan hur verkligheten konstrueras utifrån detta paradigmskifte. Genom att skapa ett militärfilosofiskt begrepp, undersöks om det finns en ontologisk medvetenhet inom denna diskurs. Studiens resultat visar på att verklighet konstrueras utifrån nationalstatens ontologi och epistemologi. Begrepp, kategorier och metaforer från det industriella kriget används i hög grad för att konstruera verklighet genom att dessa flyttas till nya områden, där nya "slagsfält" skapas. / Rupert Smith (2006) argues that there has been a paradigm shift in warfare, from the industrial war - into a "war amongst the people". Modern conflicts today in Iraq and Afghanistan might be understood as examples of this kind of warfare. The opponent is no longer a different nation-state, but a non-state actor who is not behaving in a traditional military way. Hence, nowadays other entities than platforms are important, for example, clan structures and culture. From this, we must then ask ourselves whether the world has changed, or at least if the military reality has changed and how military has understood (comprehended) this change. The study is based on a discourse analysis of military reality and the question is how reality is constructed based on this paradigm shift. By creating a military-philosophical concept the study will examine whether there is an ontological awareness within the military discourse. The result shows that the reality is constructed from the nation state ontology and epistemology. Concepts, categories and metaphors from the industrial war are heavily used in the construction of reality and those are moved to new areas where new "battlefields" are created.

In this investigation, the researcher explored the construction of conceptual knowledge within the discipline of science through a review of related theory and research.<p>Following a review of literature that emphasizes the theory of social constructivism as well as critical pedagogy as significant to learning; and utilizing a working definition of the six strands of language as established by Saskatchewan Education; the researcher observed and interviewed three Grade Five students and their teacher throughout their involvement in a science unit. <p>In-class observations of the strands of language as well as the information from the interview transcripts were triangulated with the literature to provide validity for the theory and support the researchers implications for an inquiry model of teaching and learning.<p>Findings suggest an absence of explicit language being modeled and expected within the course of study as well as the absence of a framework of science concepts. Disconnections and fragmentations throughout various levels of pedagogy within curriculum, resources, strategies and activities were revealed. The unintentional illusion of a rich learning experience was created through collaborative, hands-on activities, demonstrations and modeling by the teacher, fluency and accuracy in reading as well as the correct completion of activities. In reality these acts merely masked the absence of deeper transformational experiences which are required for students to build the conceptual knowledge and linguistic competence needed for academic success.

A comparative study between old school which is considered to be boring and out of context by (many student) to new school of teaching where divers IT and ICT gadgets are used and their implications in creating a positive teacher student relationship from the very start to promote emergent literacy within preschool class. This ethnographic study examines how two preschool class teachers incorporate both old and new methods to create interest for learning and meaningfulness among their students in accordance with the national goals for education and lifelong learning. How does IT and ICT promote teaching and learning in preschool class? In what ways do teachers incorporate into classroom experiences? What are the group dynamics between teacher- student, and student- and their peers during a classroom scenario with the conventional paper and pen and technological aid?  With these central questions the study was conducted as an participant observation which resulted in preschool class children find it lot easier to communicate not only with teachers but also with their classmates during classroom activities where IT and ICT is incorporated than when teachers take on the role what they call old school which tends to become one-sided.  The results show that creating meaningfulness among ones students is largely based upon the teachers own interest in the focus group. From a socio-cultural perspective, it is evident that terms such as interaction, meaningfulness, symbols and artifacts become central. Results from the study shows even though many in-service teachers and principals are very much for including IT and ICT as teaching resource. Ambiguity of national norms and goals when we talk of preschool classes in the nation could be one the many reasons why they fail to meet their students expectations and demands. This in turn could be one of the considerable reasons for the depression in high school students failing to meet the national educational standards. / Utgångspunkten i detta examensarbete är en jämförande studie mellan gamla skolan och dess undervisningsätt vilken anses vara tråkig och utan sammanhang bland många elever och nya skolans undervisning med IT och IKT som didaktisk undervisningsmetod. Dess konsekvenser för att skapa en positiv relation mellan lärare och elev från första början för att främja framväxande och skrivkunnighet inom förskoleklass.En etnografisk undersökning av hur två förskoleklasslärare gagnar både de gamla och nya metoderna för att skapa intresse för lärande och meningsskapande bland sina elever i enlighet med nationella målen för ett livslångt lärande och hållbar utveckling. Hur främjar IT och IKT lärandet i förskoleklassen? På vilka sätt införlivar lärare upplevelser i klassrummet. Vad är gruppdynamik mellan lärare och elev, samt gruppdynamik mellan eleverna i ett klassrumsscenario med den konventionella papper/penna och tekniska stöd? Med dessa centrala frågor genomfördes studien som en deltagande observation. Detta resulterade i att förskoleklassbarnen tycker att det är mycket lättare att kommunicera inte bara med lärare utan även med sina klasskamrater under klassrumsaktiviteter där IT och IKT ingår än när lärare tar på sig rollen i den så kallade gamla skolan som tenderar att bli ensidig. Resultaten visar att skapa meningsfullhet bland elever till stor del baseras på lärarnas eget intresse i fokusgruppen. Ur ett sociokulturellt perspektiv är det uppenbart att begrepp som interaktion, meningsfullhet, symboler och artefakter blir central. Resultaten från studien visar att det finns ett stort intresse och ambitioner från rektor och lärare att införa bland annat IT och IKT i undervisningen. På grund av tvetydigheten i de nationella målen och normer när man talar om förskoleklass har detta orsakat många lärare och skolor att misslyckas med att uppfylla elevernas förväntningar och krav, vilket i sin tur kan vara en av de stora orsakerna till det ökande antalet gymnasieelever som inte uppfyller de nationella kunskapsmålen i Sverige.

The aim of this paper is to investigate and analyze practices in multilingual classrooms of mathematics in a compulsory school in Sweden where immigrant students have been known to succeed. The school is situated in a suburban and segregated area outside a major city where pupils come from mainly limited socio-economic backgrounds. The rate of second language learners are 70% of all pupils in this school. By using ethnographic methods, mainly interviews and participant observation, data was collected in four mathematics classrooms which corresponded to consecutive ages of education. The data include field notes and observation of artifacts in the environment as well as interviews and informal conversations with teachers and school leadership. Information from the school website, the authority in charge of quality in Swedish schools (Skolverket) and the municipality were also used. The analysis is based on a socio-political viewpoint that power is relational and reflected within schools. According to this idea the interplay between schools/teachers and the families/students can either support or resist the support of minority groups. The didactics of mathematics are studied through concepts such as intercultural leadership, social constructivism and scaffolding. The questions in focus are: 1) What is emphasized as functional didactics in mathematics for immigrant pupils? 2) What materials are used? 3) How are the pupils’ right to study their mother tongue and bilingual teaching being fulfilled and what attitudes are held towards bilingualism? 4) Which expectations are nurtured towards pupils and 5) How are children in need of support cared for? The findings indicate that a focus on linguistic dimensions in mathematics through the interplay between visual and practical experience builds up a didactic of a social-constructivist nature that has long been sought after in Swedish mathematics classrooms. This correlates with recent research which couples the linguistic approach to the building of a communicative reform-oriented discourse in school mathematics and shows that the success of immigrant students in classrooms of mathematics can be explained by: 1) a linguistic approach to mathematics 2) interplay in classrooms of mathematics between visual and practical materials and problem solving rarely focusing on textbooks, bringing about a didactics of a functional social-constructivist nature 3) a learning and problem solving organization where “Swedishness” (that is to say the Swedish way) is not the norm by which students are judged, including a positive approach to multilingualism 4) high expectations towards pupils and 5) teachers and the school leadership hold an inclusive approach to pupils who need support in learning compulsory school mathematics.

Globalizacijos ir sparčios kaitos laikais Lietuvos šeima išgyvena daug pokyčių, kalbama apie jos krizę ir destabilizaciją. Kadangi žiniasklaida yra tapusi svarbiu socializacijos faktoriumi, tai jos vaidmuo platinant suvokimą apie šeimą ir konstruojant šeimos bei partnerystės reikšmes atlieka lemiamą vaidmenį kuriant socialinius simbolius bei reikšmes. Šiame darbe siekta atskleisti spaudos perduodamuose pranešimuose konstruojamus šeimos modelius ir lyčių vaidmenis šeimoje. Teorinėje darbo dalyje taikant literatūros šaltinių analizę aptarta, kokia yra žiniasklaidos ir socialinio pasaulio sąveika, kokią įtaką žiniasklaida turi socialinės tikrovės konstravime. Įvardinta šeimos, jos formų samprata, pristatytos pagrindinės jai kylančias grėsmės. Darbe naudojamos socialinio konstruktyvizmo ir darbotvarkės nustatymo (agenda-setting) teorijos, nes jos siejasi tarpusavyje. Abi pabrėžia objektyvios tikrovės svarbą ir tai, kad tam tikrų problemų struktūravimas ne visada atspindi tikrovę. Kadangi žiniasklaida yra vienas svarbiausių šeimos modelių konstravimo įrankių, tai buvo atlikta dviejų Lietuvos dienraščių – „Lietuvos rytas“, „Vakaro žinios“ ir vieno regioninio laikraščio „Tauragės kurjeris“ publikacijų šeimos tema turinio analizė. Tyrimui buvo atrinkti 2007 m. liepos-gruodžio mėn. nacionaliniuose dienraščiuose publikuoti 918 straipsnių ir 150 straipsnių, publikuotų „Tauragės kurjeryje“ visais 2007 metų mėnesiais. Atlikus tyrimą išryškėja, kad vyro ir moters santuoka grįsta šeima... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / During the globalization and rapid alternation times, Lithuanian family experiences a lot of changes, there is discussed its crisis and destabilization. Due to the fact that the mass media has become a very significant factor of socialization, its role while spreading the comprehension concerning a family as well as constructing the meanings of a family or partnership, are crucial while designing social symbols and meanings. In the following work there has been sought to reveal the constructed model of a family and roles of genders in a family that are communicated in the press publications. In the theoretic part, while applying the analysis of the literature resources there has been discussed what the interaction of the mass media and social world is as well as what the impact of the mass media on the construction of the social reality is. There is enumerated the concept of a family and its forms and there are introduced basic threats that arise to it. In the paper there applied the theories of social constructivism and agenda-setting, because they are interconnected. Both theories define the significance of the objective reality and the fact that the structuring of the certain issues in the mass media does not always reveal the reality. Whereas the mass media is one of the most important tools fro the formation of family models, there has been carried out the contents analysis of the publications under the family issue in two Lithuanian daily newspapers – ‘Lietuvos rytas’... [to full text]

Public concern over the mathematical incompetence of students and adults is longstanding and justified. The No Child Left Behind act has affected the nation’s teachers, their school systems, and their communities. The act required all classrooms have a “highly-qualified teacher” by June, 2006 (United States Department of Education, 2002). Thus, the purpose of this evaluative case study was to understand if the unique National Board Certification (NBC) focused Educational Specialist (EdS) program was effective in creating change in teacher practice of six high school mathematics teachers in a suburban Georgia county. The learning outcomes of the program and perceptions of self-efficacy were evaluated and used as guidelines for the effectiveness of the program. The study was grounded in theories of metacognition, social constructivism, and self-efficacy. Metacognition provided the basis for “thinking about thinking” (McApline, Weston, et al, 1999) but reflection expanded the thought process to thinking about thinking or actions. Reflections were an integral for each of the constructs of the EdS program and this dissertation. Data for the study included written teacher reflections, action research projects, and mentoring manuals; in addition to interviews three years after the program. Data were coded and analyzed through a process of constant comparison using the NVivo 7 software. The findings at each stage of analysis, which were halfway through the program, end of the program, and three years after the program, indicate the five constructs metacognition, social constructivism, self-efficacy, community of learners, and action research were common across data sets. Four of the five constructs became more prevalent at each stage of analysis with only action research peaking prior to the third stage. The patterns developed during the study indicated long-term change in teacher practice and these constructs solidified as part of their teaching philosophy.