Summaries in Afrikaans and English / This thesis is a conceptual exploration of the concept "critical thinking" and is chiefly aimed at everyone involved in education in the new South Africa. The investigation is contextualised by critically examining certain motives for such an investigation and by assessing the importance of encouraging people to think critically. The focus is first on the relationship between the concepts "critical thinking", "thinking" and "rationality". Then follows a thorough analysis of the concept "critical thinking". Preconditions for the use of the concept are identified. The last part of the thesis deals with the relationship between critical thinking, learning and critical thinking can level. teaching, and a discussion on how be improved and promoted at school / Hierdie verhandeling is ·'n konseptuele verkenning van die begrip "kritiese denke" en is veral gerig aan almal wat by die opvoeding in die nuwe Suid- Afrika betrokke is. Die verkenning word gekontekstualiseer deur sekere motiewe vir so 'n ondersoek krities te bespreek en die belangrikheid daarvan om mense aan te moedig om krities te dink te bepaal. Daar word vervolgens eers gekonsentreer op die verhouding tussen die begrippe "kritiese denke", "denke" en "rasionaliteit". Daarna volg n grondige bespreking van die beg rip "kritiese denke". Voorwaardes vir die gebruik van die begrip word nagegaan. Die laaste gedeelte van die verhandeling handel oar die verhouding tussen kritiese denke, leer en onderrig en daar word beredeneer hoe kritiese denke op skoolvlak verbeter en bevorder kan word. / Philosophy, Practical and Ststematic Theology / M.A. (Wysbegeerte)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:25:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6301.pdf: 13529065 bytes, checksum: 3dd0f5e7e2c7165dcea9b0758e2ff350 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-28 / This study aims at investigating the relations between a Thematic Task-Based Syllabus and the Communicative Competence (CC) of students of Portuguese as a second language. This qualitative, ethnographic - interpretative research is grounded in studies on CC (CANALE; SWAIN, 1980; CANALE, 1983; CELCE-MURCIA, 2007; HYMES, 1972) of foreign language learners in immersion context. The framework for the Thematic Task-Based Syllabus is founded on theoretical studies of Barbirato (2005), Ellis (2003), Nunan (1989). The thematic material used in this work is called Brasilidades and the theme is based on cultural perspectives of the Northeast and South parts of Brazil. The material was implemented in two courses of Portuguese as a second language in a university in the Southeastern part of Brazil. Each course lasted 30 hours, and the data was collected in the second semester of 2012 and the first semester of 2013. Some of the instruments used for data collection were: research diary, audio and video recording of the classes and questionnaires. The results suggest that the Thematic Task-Based Syllabus allow students a profound mobilization of their CC in communicative scenarios. This kind of syllabus has also shown to be consonant to the model of CC proposed by Celce-Murcia (2007) which places the discursive competence as the center of the CC model since this type of planning recovers primary functions of language such as communication and production of meaning through meaningful contexts. During the task phase, it also offers moments of interaction between students based on the discursive construction of language. / Este estudo tem por objetivo pesquisar as relações que podem ser estabelecidas entre um planejamento temático baseado em tarefas (PTBT) e a competência comunicativa (CC) em um curso de português língua estrangeira (PLE). Esta é uma pesquisa interpretativista, de cunho etnográfico, com tratamento qualitativo dos dados, alicerçada em estudos sobre a CC (CANALE; SWAIN, 1980; CANALE, 1983; CELCE-MURCIA, 2007; HYMES, 1972) de alunos de língua estrangeira em contexto de imersão. Incorporado à base deste estudo está o PTBT, ao qual os participantes desta pesquisa foram expostos. Embasamo-nos nos estudos de Barbirato (2005), Ellis (2003) e Nunan (1989) para a elaboração de um material didático chamado Brasilidades, cujo foco está nas Regiões Nordeste e Sul do país, interpretadas a partir de recortes culturais. Esse material foi implementado em duas turmas de português para estrangeiros, com carga horária de 30 horas cada curso e duração de um semestre cada turma, totalizando um ano de coleta de dados (2012-2013) em uma universidade no interior paulista. Para a coleta de dados, utilizamos caderno de observações, gravação das aulas em áudio e vídeo e questionários semiabertos. Os resultados demonstraram que o PTBT possibilita ao aluno uma profunda mobilização de sua CC perante os cenários comunicativos. Este planejamento também mostrou ser consoante com o modelo da CC proposta por Celce-Murcia (2007) que coloca o componente discursivo como centro do modelo da CC, pois o PTBT resgata funções primárias da linguagem de comunicar e produzir conhecimentos por meio de tema significativo, além de oferecer, nas tarefas, momentos de interação dos alunos fundados na construção discursiva da linguagem.

The thesis deals with life and work of bishop,later cardinal Frantisek Tomask in the 50´s and 60´s of the twentieth century. The work particularly focuses on the extremely interesting and moving period,when Frantisek Tomasek worked as a priest and religion teacher (scripture) in Moravian village of Moravska Uzova.The thesis involves both copies of authentic documenst from the Archives of Opava and also testimonies of his former pupils and parishioners, giving supporting evidence of many activities of Mr. Tomasek at that time. The first part of the work brings a detailed description of the state of the then Catholic Church on the background of complicated and hard political situation in former Czechoslovakia in the 50´s and 60´s. The other part focuses on eleven years of life and work of Frantisek TOmasek in Moravska Uzova, especially on his religious and pedagogical activities. The evidence of a very successful and human work of this unique man can be found both in this part of work and also in the enclosure - in the form of re-told testimonies of his former pupils.

När lärare undervisar utgår de från en ämnesplan som innehåller information om de delar en kurs omfattar. Lärare tar ofta hjälp av olika läroböcker för att genomföra sin undervisning. Mellan åren 1938 och 1991 granskades läroböcker statligt innan de kom ut på marknaden. Efter 1991 sker granskning inte längre statligt utan det är upp till varje lärare att avgöra om en lärobok passar till undervisningen. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur presentationen av texttyper från ämnesplanerna för svenska 1, svenska 2 och svenska 3 i tre serier med tryckta läroböcker överensstämmer med ämnesplanerna. Utgångspunkten är texttyperna argumenterande text, utredande text och text av vetenskaplig karaktär. De läroböcker som undersöks är serierna Svenska helt enkelt och Svenska impulser samt läroboken Människans texter. Språket. Studiens metod är en kvalitativ innehållsanalys som undersöker hur läroböckerna explicit och implicit presenterar innehållet från ämnesplanerna. Resultatet visar att serien Svenska helt enkelt behandlar allt utvalt innehåll från ämnesplanerna medan serien Svenska impulser och läroboken Människans texter. Språket inte behandlar allt utvalt innehåll. Studien kommer fram till att läroboken kan användas som ett stöd i undervisningen men inte som enskilt underlag då det kan finnas innehåll från ämnesplanerna som inte behandlas i läroboken. / The practice of teaching usually starts with the syllabus which contains information about the content that should be taught in a course. Teachers often use textbooks in order to fulfill the course. Between the years 1938 and 1991 textbooks were reviewed by the Swedish government before entering the market. After 1991 reviewing textbooks is done by the teachers and they decide if the book fits their way of teaching. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the presentations of different genres of text in different textbooks correspond with the syllabus. The genres in focus are argumentative text, investigative text and academic text. The textbooks that are being reviewed are the series Svenska helt enkelt and Svenska impulser as well as the textbook Människans texter. Språket. The method used is a qualitative text analysis that analyzes how the selected textbooks explicitly and implicitly present the content from the syllabus. The results of the analysis show that the series Svenska helt enkelt treat all content from the syllabus while the series Svenska impulser and Människans texter. Språket does not treat all content. The conclusion is that textbooks can be used as support for teaching a course but they cannot be used as base for the course since there might be content from the syllabus that is not treated by the textbook.

This thesis presents an investigation of the interpretation and application of the concept "communicative competence" in a lower secondary school in the south of Sweden. The reason for this investigation is that the author is in the teacher training programme and seeks to learn more about this important feature of language teaching. The aim is to investigate how the teachers interpret and apply, i.e. teach this oral and written competence, and what exercises the teachers estimate help the development of the communicative competence. The primary material and method of this case study consist of interviews with four teachers of modern languages.The results reveal that the teachers are well acquainted with the concept of communicative competence and that the methods applied help the students develop their oral and written competence. However, the teachers do not use the target language sufficiently, which has also been confirmed in previous research in the field. The results further reveal that the teachers find it somewhat difficult to interpret the course syllabus, especially concerning the teaching of grammar. The conclusion of this study is hence that there is a need for clearer instructions in the course syllabus, as well as more team-work between colleagues in interpreting it. Furthermore, the teachers need to use the target language more efficiently and better adapted to the students’ linguistic level in order for the students to be able to develop their ability to understand the spoken language. The results and the conclusions of this study may be of significance and interest for other teachers and education researchers.

The aim of this study is to compare the subject syllabuses for history education in uppersecondary school of Finland, Norway and Sweden. Three syllabuses from Norway, two from Finland and one from Sweden for courses that are compulsory for higher education preparatory programmes in the three countries have been analysed and compared. Qualitative content analysis has been used to find similarities and differences for what the countries find important with and in the history subject. A deductive analysis has been used for the part of the syllabus where the aim and the goals are written. An inductive analysis has been used for the part of the course content. By using a deductive content analysis with a coding scheme based on common historical didactic terms, the result of this study shows that every country finds that historical consciousness, narration, historical empathy, historical method and the uses of history are important parts of the history subject and education. However, the countries differ when it comes to if they see these parts as the aim or as a goal with the subject or the education. The inductive content analysis shows that all countries find sources and work with sources, uses of history, time periods, global historical events and processes and development of state and societies as important parts of the education. A difference between the countries is that Finland and Norway have more specific national history content in the syllabuses than Sweden has. Therewith does this result show that both Norway and Sweden find it important to problematize the time periods and to have different historical questions, aspects and explanations in the content of history education.

Aim and research questions The purpose of this study is to investigate how teachers in physical education (PE) in grades 7-9 use ball games in education in relation to the curriculum. The study also aims to investigate teachers' description of how their assessment of students in connection with ball games relates to the knowledge requirements. Below we present our specific question formulation. In what way do PE teachers work with ball games in relation the curriculum for grades 7-9? How do PE teachers motivate the use of ball games in education connected to the curriculum? How do PE teachers describe their assessment of students’ ability in relation to ball games as content and the curriculums’ knowledge requirements? Method The data collection was done through semi-structured interviews. Six legitimate PE teachers in grades 7-9 were interviewed. All the interviewed teachers worked in different suburbs to Stockholm. The selection was made through a structured selection with the help of the Facebook groups “Idrottslärare” and “Sveriges idrottslärare” but also through snowball selection. The theories that have been helpful in understanding and interpreting the results are curriculum theory and frame factor theory. Results All interviewed teachers work with ball games as a tool to develop students’ complex movements and cooperative ability. A couple of teachers said that ball games can also be applied to parts of the curriculum such as health, sports injuries and more. The PE teachers motivate ball games as a method for developing student’s complex movements. Most of the teachers describe that it is difficult to know where the boundary between different grades when it comes to assessment and that it is also difficult to justify why the students has received a specific grade. Conclusion The study shows that the curriculum in PE for grades 7-9 is perceived as relatively interpretable on the transformation and realisation arena. This gives teachers choices when it comes to the choice of teaching content and implementation. Based on the curriculum theory it is possible to ascertain that all interviewed teachers interpret ball games in the curriculum and think that ball games are an important part of teaching. The reason why the PE teachers think that ball games are considered to have a place in PE may be because they are influenced by society and sports culture. Based on the pedagogical framework system, the teachers must have a great knowledge about how the assessment should be realized in reality and to avoid different interpretations of the grading steps, teachers work and discuss together to make the assessment fair. / Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur lärare i idrott och hälsa i årskurs 7–9 använder bollspel i undervisningen i förhållande till ämnets kursplan. Studien syftar också till att undersöka lärares beskrivning av hur deras bedömning av eleverna i samband med bollspel relaterar till kunskapskraven. Nedan presenteras studiens specifika frågeställningar. På vilket sätt arbetar lärare i idrott och hälsa med bollspel i relation till kursplanen för årskurs 7–9? Hur motiverar lärare i idrott och hälsa användandet av bollspel i undervisningen kopplat till kursplanen? Hur beskriver lärare i idrott och hälsa att deras bedömning av elevernas förmåga går till i relation till bollspel som innehåll och kursplanens kunskapskrav? Metod Datainsamlingen gjordes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Sex lärare i idrott och hälsa i årskurs 7–9 intervjuades. Alla intervjuade lärare arbetade i olika förorter till Stockholm. Urvalet skedde genom ett strukturerat urval med hjälp av Facebookgrupperna ”Idrottslärare” och ”Sveriges idrottslärare” men även genom snöbollsurval. Teorierna som funnits till hjälp för att förstå och tolka resultatet är läroplansteori och ramfaktorteori. Resultat Samtliga intervjuade lärare arbetar med bollspel som ett verktyg för att utveckla elevernas komplexa rörelser och samarbetsförmåga. Ett par lärare menade att bollspel går att applicera även på delar i kursplanen såsom hälsa, idrottsskador med mera. Lärarna i idrott och hälsa motiverar bollspel som en metod för att utveckla elevernas komplexa rörelser. En majoritet av lärarna menar att det är svårt att veta var gränsen mellan olika betygssteg går, och att det även är svårt att motivera varför eleven har fått ett specifikt betyg. Slutsats Studien visar att kursplanen i idrott och hälsa för årskurs 7–9 uppfattas relativt tolkningsbar på transformerings- och realiseringsarenan. Detta ger lärare valmöjligheter när det kommer till val av undervisningsinnehåll och genomförande. Med utgångspunkt i läroplansteorin går det att konstatera att alla intervjuade lärare tolkar in bollspel i kursplanen och anser att bollspel är en viktig del i undervisningen. Anledningen till att bollspel anses ha en plats i undervisningen kan bero på att de är influerade av samhället och idrottskulturen. Kopplat till det pedagogiska ramsystemet krävs en stor kunskap gällande hur bedömning ska gå till och för att undvika olika tolkningar av betygsstegen arbetar och diskuterar kollegor tillsammans för att bedömningen ska bli rättvis.

Digitala verktyg är ett begrepp som är vida känt men kan betyda olika saker för olikamänniskor. Läroplanens revidering 2017 gällande digitala verktyg ligger till grund fördetta arbete. Syftet med denna undersökning är att ta reda på hur tillgången på digitalaverktyg ser ut, hur begreppet digitala verktyg kan tolkas och huruvida digitaliseringenimplementerats i undervisningen. Genom denna studie hoppas vi kunna bidra till ökadkunskap och förståelse för digitaliseringens betydelse i skolan och de digitala verktygensanvändningsområden. De metoder som använts är tematisk analysmetod för analys avläroplanens kursplan i ämnet svenska och semistrukturerad intervju som genomförts medsex lärare på sex olika skolor fördelade inom och utanför stadskärnan i samma kommun.Resultaten visar att informanternas tolkning av begreppet digitala verktyg såväl är ienlighet med Skolverkets förklaring till begreppet som att tänka endast hård- ellermjukvaror. Dessutom visar resultaten att informanterna redan innan revideringen avläroplanen till viss del implementerat digitala verktyg i undervisningen, men hur mycketär beroende på hur skolans digitaliseringsplan ser ut. Vidare visar resultaten att tillgångentill de digitala verktygen styr hur mycket och i vilket ändamål som informanternaanvänder dem i undervisningen. Utöver det, visar resultaten på att det inte finns någonskillnad i tillgången till digitala verktyg beroende på om skolorna ligger inom eller utomstadskärnan. / Digital tools are a concept that is widely known but can mean different things to differentpeople. The curriculum's revision in 2017 regarding digital tools forms the basis for thiswork. The purpose of this study is to find out what the availability of digital tools lookslike, how the concept of digital tools can be interpreted and whether digitalisation hasbeen implemented in teaching. Through this study, we hope to contribute to increasedknowledge and understanding of the importance of digitalisation in schools and the usesof digital tools. The methods used are thematic analysis method for analysis of theCurriculum syllabus on the subject of Swedish and semi-structured interview conductedwith six teachers at six different schools distributed within and outside the city centre ofthe same municipality. The results show that the informants' interpretation of the conceptof digital fabric is both in accordance with the Swedish National Agency for Education'sexplanation of the concept and that one thinks of only hardware or software. In addition,the results show that even before the revision of the Curriculum, the informants have tosome extent implemented digital tools in teaching, but how much depends on what theschool's digitalisation plan looks like. Furthermore, the results show that access to thedigital tools controls how much and for what purpose the informants use them in teaching.In addition, the results show that there is no difference in access to digital tools dependingon whether schools are within or outside the city centre.

This paper aims at investigating how upper secondary school teachers of English in Malmö, Sweden abide by the curriculum criteria of having their learners develop correctness in speech, as well as what support English teachers receive with regard to pronunciation teaching from official steering documents. Furthermore, this paper attempts to critically evaluate and discuss potential options for pronunciation models or standards in education which hold sway in contemporary research. Through qualitative interviews with four upper secondary school teachers of English, the findings of this study indicate a discrepancy between the participants’ views on how ‘correctness’ should be interpreted as well as their methods for teaching and assessing pronunciation. In addition, none of the participants explicitly expressed a subscription to any particular pronunciation model or standard, but rather that they focused on intelligibility over native speaker accent accuracy. Through personal communications with the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) and a university professor of English at a teacher education programme, tendencies are observable of attempts at shifting responsibility for interpreting, understanding, and applying the syllabi, ultimately leaving individual teachers to uphold the demand of an equitable education through subjective interpretations of pronunciation teaching.  The implications of this study suggest that the field of pronunciation teaching in both Swedish and international context is still underdeveloped and in desperate need of further research. Whilst this study may have limited reach or impact on the field as such, it may serve as an indicator for the problem at large for teachers, researchers and educational agencies as well as promoting an awareness of issues in the equitability of pronunciation teaching. This paper may also serve as a basis for discussion in teacher teams or other educational opportunities for teachers on the development of coherent pronunciation constructs.

Previous research shows that English teachers in Sweden struggle with the assessment of oral proficiency. The reasons for this are several but most of them have occurred in the gap between the intended and perceived curriculum. English teachers interpret the knowledge requirements within oral proficiency differently because of their pedagogical background and experience. This study investigates teachers’ interpretations of the intended presentation of interaction and fluency in the oral proficiency knowledge requirements. The study also investigates what methods and procedures the teachers use when assessing the two abilities and what views the teachers have on the syllabus and assessment support. Semi-structured interviews were organized with four different English teachers with extensive experience in teaching and assessing English in Sweden. The data from the interviews were analyzed through the use of qualitative content analysis in order to find potential links between results and earlier conducted research. The results suggest that the English teachers interpreted, valued, and assessed interaction and fluency differently in relation to the knowledge requirements. The teachers also promoted the knowledge requirements from the Oral National Test since these simplified the interpretation of aspects such as interaction and fluency. The teachers did not present the syllabus as poor or complex, but their exclusive use of Oral National Test knowledge requirements and assessment material suggested something else. Along with this result, all teachers criticized the assessment support that comes with the knowledge requirements in the syllabus. The assessment support was thus something several of the teachers mentioned as key along with the implementation of co-assessment for future reliability within oral proficiency assessment.