There are three purposes of this study: (1) to determine the degree of interaction between pupils and student teachers and teaching effectiveness as rated by pupils; (2) to determine the significance of difference of pupil ratings between those who express "more" and those who express "less interest" in the course taught by the student teacher whom they were asked to rate; and (3) to study other variables such as sex, age, and achievement in order to show how they relate to pupil and student teacher interaction.

DEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / There has been greater demand for more accountability, results-based culture and enhanced effectiveness of programmes and services globally. The education sector has not been spared by this wave either and hence teacher effectiveness and instructional quality have risen to the top of the educational policy agenda. It is important therefore that effective teaching must be assured and teacher evaluation is a key means of providing that assurance. To date, most studies on the teacher appraisal system in Zimbabwe have focused on the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers towards the evaluation process, and at the same time the implementation challenges. Little has so far been done to determine the effectiveness of the teacher performance evaluation system in Zimbabwe. This study consequently sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the teacher performance evaluation system in Kwekwe district of Zimbabwe. The study was premised on the pragmatic philosophical worldview and hence the mixed method approach was adopted. The convergent parallel mixed method design was used. Data was collected using individual face to face semi structured interviews and a 5 point Likert scale questionnaire. Documentary review was done prior to the development of the research instruments as a way of ensuring relevance of the data collection instruments. The study was underpinned by the self-developed RADPS conceptual framework on performance evaluation system effectiveness. Stratified purposive sampling technique was used to select ten secondary schools for the quantitative strand and four for the qualitative strand. The quantitative sample was composed of 292 teachers and the qualitative sample was composed of 12 participants constituting of 4 teachers, 4 heads of departments and 4 schools heads. Quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS version 25 while the qualitative data was analysed using ATLAS ti. 8. The key findings of the study were that: the performance evaluation system was imposed and accordingly there was no buy in; there was inadequate budgetary support thereby rendering the introduction of the system mistimed; teachers as key stakeholders were excluded from the design process and hence there was no ownership; and ultimately, relevance of the system was questioned. It was also revealed that the evaluation process is merely a compliance exercise with erratic and discontinuous monitoring and supervision through the evaluation cycle. The findings from the study imply the following: policy formulation should be participatory and inclusive; readiness assessment should be conducted before introducing a new programme; a programme should be pilot tested; evaluation process should be monitored by external officials; the process should be consequential and the system should be continuously monitored and reviewed for relevance and validity. / NRF

<p>Since teachers’ referrals involve evaluation of students through sustained observation, comprehensive features of giftedness can be identified. In 2007, a project called Having Opportunities Promotes Excellence (HOPE) was launched at Purdue University with funds from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (Gentry et al., 2015). This 3-year project aimed to help identify giftedness among low-income and ethnically diverse students and serve these students in advanced programs. To do so, the project team created the <i>HOPE Scale</i> (Gentry et al., 2015), an instrument used by teachers to assess the academic and socioemotional characteristics of gifted students. Previous results from Project HOPE served as the foundation for the current studies. This dissertation is comprised of three related research papers investigating the <i>HOPE Scale</i> as an equitable measure for identifying underrepresented students for the gifted services. Following are the purpose and research questions for each of these related studies.</p><p></p><h3><a></a><a>Study 1: Validity Evidence for the <i>HOPE Scale</i> to Identify Gifted Students from Low-Income and Multicultural Families in Korea</a> </h3><div><a></a></div><p></p><h3><a></a><a>Study 2: Exploring Individual and Classroom Characteristics on Students’ Outcome Scores from the <i>HOPE</i> Teacher Rating Scale</a></h3><div><a></a><h3><a></a><a></a><a>Study 3: The Relationship between Students’ Academic Achievement and the <i>HOPE</i> Teacher-rating Scale: Exploration to Equitably Identify Underrepresented Gifted Students</a></h3><br></div>

The problem of this study was to determine the relationship between the effectiveness of student teachers as measured by student ratings and situation-specific anxiety toward the act of teaching. Data for the study were obtained by the use of the Teacher Anxiety Scale and the Student Evaluation of Teaching Scale. The statistical evidence does not justify a conclusion that there is a relationship between the effectiveness of student teachers as measured by student ratings and situation-specific anxiety of student teachers toward the act of teaching. The statistical evidence does not support the conclusion that pupil ratings of student teachers are significantly affected by the student teacher's level of anxiety, sex, or teaching level. Furthermore, there is no statistical evidence given by the study that there is a significant difference in situation-specific anxiety among student teacher groups (Elementary or Secondary) according to sex or level of student teaching.

It is the purpose of the writer to discover if there is any significant difference between the teacher ratings of boys and girls with equated intelligence quotients. And if such differences are found to exist, an attempt will be made to determine to what extent they prevail.

It is the primary purpose of this study to determine any differences in the achievement abilities and teacher ratings of the boys and girls of equal intelligence quotients in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades of the Alvord Elementary School, Alvord, Texas. A secondary purpose is to make a study of the environmental background of a number of pupils in order to determine certain other factors that might be considered as producing some influence upon the success or failure of the boy or girl.

It is the purpose of this study to determine if there is any significant difference in teacher ratings of boys and girls of equal achievement. If such differences are found to exist, an attempt will be made to explain the causes for such differences.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world. In children, both inadequate iron and fatty acid (FA) status have been found to have an effect on cognitive and behavioural function, including physical activity behaviour and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)–related behaviour. Aim: To investigate the effects of supplementation with iron and omega–3 fatty acids (n–3 FAs), alone and in combination, on spontaneous motor activity and ADHD–related behaviour in iron deficient primary school children in KwaZulu–Natal. An additional aim was to evaluate the use of the Actical accelerometer as a tool to assess physical activity behaviour. Methods: The study design was a 2x2 factorial, randomized, double–blind and placebo–controlled trial. Iron deficient school children aged six to ten years with or without mild anaemia were included in the study (n = 321). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive one of the following supplement combinations: (1) 420mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/80 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + 50mg of iron as ferrous sulphate (Fe); (2) 420mg DHA/80mg EPA + placebo; (3) 50mg of Fe + placebo; (4) placebo + placebo. Supplements were provided four times a week for a duration of 8.5 months (excluding school holidays). Physical activity of a subgroup of subjects (n=98) was recorded on four random school days at baseline, midpoint and endpoint (12 days in total) during three different time periods namely class time 1 (08h00-10h30), break time (10h30–11h00) and class time 2 (11h00–12h00). Classroom behaviour of study subjects was assessed by teachers at baseline and endpoint using the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale–Revised: Short Forms (CTRS). Iron status indicators and red blood cell (RBC) FA composition were measured at baseline and endpoint. Treatment effects were assessed for activity and CTRS scores. Furthermore, the relationship between activity, CTRS scores and iron/FA status indicators was determined using bivariate correlation and multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Overall activity of all subjects varied over time from baseline and midpoint to endpoint. A significant cycle x age interaction (P = 0.005) as well as a significant cycle x time period x gender interaction (P = 0.036) was observed on overall activity. There were no significant interactions of cycle or time period with treatment. However, there was a significant main effect of DHA/EPA supplementation for lower class time 1 activity at endpoint (P = 0.014). Biological markers indicating better or poorer iron status were positively and negatively associated with activity at break time, respectively. Subjects in the group receiving both iron and DHA/EPA supplements showed a significant improvement from baseline to endpoint on the cognitive problems/inattention subscale (P = 0.005) of the CTRS. Hyperactivity scores increased iv significantly from baseline to endpoint in all groups (P = 0.006). DHA (r = –.203; P = 0.040) and EPA (r = –.199; P = 0.044) content of RBC were negatively associated with activity at class time 1. No significant associations were observed between activity and CTRS scores at baseline. At endpoint, class time 1 activity was positively associated with all CTRS subscale scores except for the cognitive problems subscale, which only bordered significance (correlation, P = 0.051; regression, P = 0.073). Conclusions: These findings suggest that n–3 FA supplementation may have an influence on ADHD–related behaviour during class time. During school break time when subjects were allowed to move around freely, iron status was positively associated with spontaneous motor activity. Furthermore, the accelerometer might be a useful complimentary tool for assessing both classroom and break time activity behaviour in school children. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world. In children, both inadequate iron and fatty acid (FA) status have been found to have an effect on cognitive and behavioural function, including physical activity behaviour and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)–related behaviour. Aim: To investigate the effects of supplementation with iron and omega–3 fatty acids (n–3 FAs), alone and in combination, on spontaneous motor activity and ADHD–related behaviour in iron deficient primary school children in KwaZulu–Natal. An additional aim was to evaluate the use of the Actical accelerometer as a tool to assess physical activity behaviour. Methods: The study design was a 2x2 factorial, randomized, double–blind and placebo–controlled trial. Iron deficient school children aged six to ten years with or without mild anaemia were included in the study (n = 321). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive one of the following supplement combinations: (1) 420mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/80 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + 50mg of iron as ferrous sulphate (Fe); (2) 420mg DHA/80mg EPA + placebo; (3) 50mg of Fe + placebo; (4) placebo + placebo. Supplements were provided four times a week for a duration of 8.5 months (excluding school holidays). Physical activity of a subgroup of subjects (n=98) was recorded on four random school days at baseline, midpoint and endpoint (12 days in total) during three different time periods namely class time 1 (08h00-10h30), break time (10h30–11h00) and class time 2 (11h00–12h00). Classroom behaviour of study subjects was assessed by teachers at baseline and endpoint using the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale–Revised: Short Forms (CTRS). Iron status indicators and red blood cell (RBC) FA composition were measured at baseline and endpoint. Treatment effects were assessed for activity and CTRS scores. Furthermore, the relationship between activity, CTRS scores and iron/FA status indicators was determined using bivariate correlation and multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Overall activity of all subjects varied over time from baseline and midpoint to endpoint. A significant cycle x age interaction (P = 0.005) as well as a significant cycle x time period x gender interaction (P = 0.036) was observed on overall activity. There were no significant interactions of cycle or time period with treatment. However, there was a significant main effect of DHA/EPA supplementation for lower class time 1 activity at endpoint (P = 0.014). Biological markers indicating better or poorer iron status were positively and negatively associated with activity at break time, respectively. Subjects in the group receiving both iron and DHA/EPA supplements showed a significant improvement from baseline to endpoint on the cognitive problems/inattention subscale (P = 0.005) of the CTRS. Hyperactivity scores increased iv significantly from baseline to endpoint in all groups (P = 0.006). DHA (r = –.203; P = 0.040) and EPA (r = –.199; P = 0.044) content of RBC were negatively associated with activity at class time 1. No significant associations were observed between activity and CTRS scores at baseline. At endpoint, class time 1 activity was positively associated with all CTRS subscale scores except for the cognitive problems subscale, which only bordered significance (correlation, P = 0.051; regression, P = 0.073). Conclusions: These findings suggest that n–3 FA supplementation may have an influence on ADHD–related behaviour during class time. During school break time when subjects were allowed to move around freely, iron status was positively associated with spontaneous motor activity. Furthermore, the accelerometer might be a useful complimentary tool for assessing both classroom and break time activity behaviour in school children. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.