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Local and federal governments, public school boards, and higher education institutions have been promoting online courses in their commitment to accommodating public needs, widening access to materials, sharing intellectual resources, and reducing costs. However, researchers of education needs to consider the often ignored yet important issue of equity since disregarding the issue of inequity in online education may create suboptimal consequences for students. This dissertation work, therefore, investigates the issues of social justice and equity in online education. I argue that equity is situated between the tensions of various social structures in a broader cultural context and can be thought of as a fair distribution of opportunities to participate. This understanding is built upon the idea that individuals have different values, goals, and interests; nevertheless, the online learning context may not provide fair opportunities for individuals to follow their own learning trajectories. Particularly, online learning environments can reproduce inequitable learning conditions when the context requires certain individuals to assimilate mainstream beliefs and values at the expense of their own identities. Since identifications have certain social and political consequences by enabling or constraining individuals’ access to educational resources, individuals may try to be identified in line with culturally-hegemonic perspectives in order to gain or secure their access to educational resources or to legitimize their learning experiences. In this interview study, I conceptualize online courses within their broader socio-historical context and analyze how macro-level social structures, namely the concept of whiteness, can reproduce inequity in micro-level online learning practices. By questioning who has control over the conditions for the production of knowledge, values, and identification, I investigate how socially accepted bodies of thoughts, beliefs, values, and feelings that give meaning to individuals’ daily-practices may create inequitable learning conditions in day-to-day online learning practices. In specific, I analyze how those who are identified as non-White experience “double-bind” with respect to stereotypification on one hand, anonymity on the other. Building on this analysis, I illustrate how those who are identified as non-White have to constantly negotiate their legitimacy and right to be in the online environment.

Local and federal governments, public school boards, and higher education institutions have been promoting online courses in their commitment to accommodating public needs, widening access to materials, sharing intellectual resources, and reducing costs. However, researchers of education needs to consider the often ignored yet important issue of equity since disregarding the issue of inequity in online education may create suboptimal consequences for students. This dissertation work, therefore, investigates the issues of social justice and equity in online education. I argue that equity is situated between the tensions of various social structures in a broader cultural context and can be thought of as a fair distribution of opportunities to participate. This understanding is built upon the idea that individuals have different values, goals, and interests; nevertheless, the online learning context may not provide fair opportunities for individuals to follow their own learning trajectories. Particularly, online learning environments can reproduce inequitable learning conditions when the context requires certain individuals to assimilate mainstream beliefs and values at the expense of their own identities. Since identifications have certain social and political consequences by enabling or constraining individuals’ access to educational resources, individuals may try to be identified in line with culturally-hegemonic perspectives in order to gain or secure their access to educational resources or to legitimize their learning experiences. In this interview study, I conceptualize online courses within their broader socio-historical context and analyze how macro-level social structures, namely the concept of whiteness, can reproduce inequity in micro-level online learning practices. By questioning who has control over the conditions for the production of knowledge, values, and identification, I investigate how socially accepted bodies of thoughts, beliefs, values, and feelings that give meaning to individuals’ daily-practices may create inequitable learning conditions in day-to-day online learning practices. In specific, I analyze how those who are identified as non-White experience “double-bind” with respect to stereotypification on one hand, anonymity on the other. Building on this analysis, I illustrate how those who are identified as non-White have to constantly negotiate their legitimacy and right to be in the online environment.

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In this essay, I have examined what has been studied and presented in the theory of ICT in schools. I have based my theory on Arne Trageton’s book Att skriva sig till läsning – IKT i förskoleklass och skola (2005) and theories on children’s reading and writing development. The purpose of this study is to determine how teachers and children experience teaching with Trageton’s ICT-based model Att skriva sig till läsning and whether the model is beneficial for children's first reading and writing. Through qualitative interviews with two pedagogues from the same school and some children from first grade, I have received answers to my two questions: How do pedagogues and children experience ICT-based teaching in the context of children's first reading and writing? How do pedagogues experience the reading and writing development in first- and second-language students when using ICT-based teaching? The results showed that both pedagogues and children were positive about the model in which the computer was used as a writing tool in learning to read and write. The teachers felt that the model was suitable for all children according to their conditions. The children saw the writing as very enjoyable. For the ICT-based teaching to work properly, the technology has great significance. The usage of computers is not a problem for neither the pedagogues nor the children. Access to computers is perceived as the reason why there are only two scheduled ICT-based lessons a week

This essay discusses if teaching English literature in high school classes, in accordance with the socio-cultural learning theory, can be considered to promote language learning substantially better than teaching English literature in accordance with the transmission theory. This essay also investigates and compares how well teaching English literature, in accordance with each of these two learning theories, fulfills stipulations in the Swedish National Curriculum for high school courses English 5, 6 and 7. In order to show differences between the socio-cultural learning theory and the transmission theory there are presentations and discussions of different teaching strategies and learning tasks/exercises in accordance with each of these two learning theories. The base for argumentation in this essay is constituted by analytical and theoretical studies of teaching English literature in accordance with the socio-cultural learning theory and in accordance with the transmission theory. There are also theoretical studies of the Swedish National Curriculum (of high school courses English 5, 6 and 7) and previous empirical research and studies (which include teaching and/or language learning and the socio-cultural learning theory). This essay also includes a presentation and discussion of advantages and disadvantages for each learning theory.

Cultural play songs are a world wide phenomenon in which children participate. The current research explored settings where such cultural play songs occur; both in and outside of pre-schools. Despite the availability of play songs in most cultural contexts, combined with children's natural inclination to be actively involved in playing and singing games, these cultural assets are generally not considered as a pedagogical tool in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the pedagogical significance of cultural play songs found in and outside of pre-schools for ECE. In this study, I investigated how play songs take place in both settings in order to reveal commonalities and differences so that, when taken together, this knowledge would enhance the understanding of how educators could optimally use play songs in ECE contexts. An ethnographic research design was conducted within a qualitative paradigm, incorporating non-participant observation, complete participant observation, video recordings, and face-to-face interviews. For the first part of data collection within pre-school settings, participants included thirty teachers from twenty pre-schools in seven provinces of Zambia. During the second part of data collection in a simulated out of school setting, participants included eighteen pre-school children and an expert on cultural play songs. This resource person facilitated sixteen cultural play song sessions in which the children and I actively participated. Video recordings were made of all cultural play song activities in both settings, supporting non-participant as well as complete participant observasions. This empirical data provided evidence regarding the pedagogical value of play songs as a cultural resource. As a result, play songs were collected in order to be preserved and promoted for future use in ECE, thus defying the simplistic view that they are mere entertainment. By drawing on Vygotsky's socio-cultural learning theory and African traditional education perspectives as theoretical framework, the study equally makes a scholary contribution towards play songs as a valuable indigenous tool for teaching and learning in ECE. The results of the study indicate the following concerning cultural play songs: Firstly, there is limited to non use of these songs in Zambian pre-schools compared to English rhymes and Sunday school songs; secondly, they are not currently considered as valid resources for teaching and learning; and thirdly, their use in ECE depends on the teacher's knowledge, skills and perceptions, as well as on the attitudes of school administration and parents. Recommendations are made for flexible methodologies which nurture linkages between music practice in and outside of school settings. Play songs as cultural resources support teacher and learner interactions in musically and playfully stimulated environments. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

State and national standards, including the Common Core State Standards, state that students should be expected to learn to discuss and analyze texts, comprehend ideas in increasingly complex texts, and justify their thinking. Literature circles are an instructional practice suggested by many educational writers as an instructional practice that can help students meet these standards; however, research examining the impact literature circles have on students and their teacher in the classroom is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of literature circles in a classroom by examining how students engage in the literature circle process and the instructional practices that contribute to the level of engagement that is experienced by the students during literature. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural learning theory provides a context to understand the impact that literature circles and learning with and through others have on students. The data revealed that students engaged in the literature circle process by participating in discussions, through purposeful collaboration, and by thinking critically. The data also revealed that the level of student engagement was influenced by several practices the teacher had in place. These included (a) purposeful tasks and learning; (b) choice, (c) questioning; (d) argumentative reading and writing; and (e) role sheets. This research demonstrates the ways that using literature circles supported authentic literacy in a 5th grade classroom. Implications include instructional practices that supported engagement including purposeful tasks and learning, choice, and questioning. These instructional practices helped students learn to think critically, have evidence-based discussions, and justify their thoughts and ideas about texts. Additionally, this research has specific implications for the use of role sheets. Role sheets are frequently recommended as a practice for scaffolding student engagement, although little empirical research supports their use. Data from this study suggest that using role sheets as a conversation scaffold and as a means to train students to participate in discussion can support engagement but that discontinuing their use once students are comfortable having text-based conversations and tracking their thinking may be beneficial.

This essay is a MFS case study conducted at a South African high school in 2010. The study examines how students and teachers perceive the meeting with apartheid in a post-apartheid classroom within the framework of History and English. The empirical data consists of observations and interviews with Grade 11 students and teachers in an affluent school environment in Cape Town. The study shows that there are gaps between how the teachers and learners perceive apartheid as relevant and relatable and how a silencing classroom climate limits the space for interaction on the subject matter. From the position of the South African steering documents and a socio-cultural perspective on learning, I discuss the didactical challenges that arise from a gap between the student and teacher perceptions.