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While creative thinking is often conceptually associated with performing and visual arts, research has suggested that music education often focuses more so on convergent skills, such as singing or music literacy, than on divergent skills, such as composing and improvising. The primary purpose of this study was to examine elementary general music teachers' (EGMTs) perceptions of creative thinking and its value as part of the elementary general music curriculum. The secondary purpose was to determine how, and to what extent, EGMTs designed and facilitated creative thinking activities for their students. EGMTs (N=283) completed an on-line questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions. The duration of participants' teaching experience ranged from a few months to 43 years. The participants reported a wide array of additional training including Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, Music Learning Theory, and Technology in Music Education (TI:ME). Quantitative data analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, and descriptions of central tendency. A series of Friedman's tests measured differences between dependent variables; Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to find significant relationships between teacher demographics and creative thinking perceptions and practices. Qualitative data analyses included open-coding of categories generated from participant responses. Results indicated that 94.8% of participants perceived creative thinking as an essential outcome of elementary general music. However, participants rated composition and improvisation as less essential than most other national content skills. A majority of participants, 72.0%, reported that they considered themselves well-trained to facilitate creative thinking activities. However, 71.7% of participants reported difficulties in designing and implementing on-going creative thinking activities for their students, citing lack of time, resources, and physical teaching space as significant challenges. Narratives from open-ended questions indicated that most participants desired more ideas for implementing creative thinking tasks, in the form of training, collaboration with peers, and published materials. This investigation indicated a need for continued discussion among practitioners, researchers and learners as to the role of creative thinking in elementary general music, in order to achieve a shared professional vision that enables creative thinking as a common practice in elementary general music classrooms.

Relatively few studies have specifically compared L2 teacher's perceptions of effective FL teaching with their own students (Beaudrie, Brown, Thompson, 2004; Brosh, 1996, Kern, 1995a). The current study explores FL teachers' and students' perceptions of FL teaching by analyzing matches between each group's perceptions. The principal objectives of this study were threefold: 1) the identification and comparison of post-secondary L2 students' and L2 teachers' perceptions of effective teaching behaviors on a Likert-scale questionnaire; 2) the comparison of students' and teachers' perceptions of how often specific teaching behaviors are performed; 3) the comparison of students' evaluations of teaching to their instructors' self-evaluations on a similar questionnaire. A secondary objective of the study was to compare students' responses on selected items from the university's TCE form with their responses on the discipline-specific questionnaires used in this study.Forty-nine teachers and their 83 intact beginning-level language classes (101-202) across nine languages at the University of Arizona voluntarily participated in the study during Spring semester, 2005. Participating students and teachers filled out questionnaires regarding perceptions of 1) what effective FL teachers should be doing in the classroom, 2) how often certain target behaviors are performed, and 3) how effective teachers perform them. An additional component of the study involved the comparison of the students' ratings on the language-teaching questionnaire with selected questions relative to teaching taken from the standard TCE form used university wide. Statistical analyses demonstrated that teachers and students, overall and by teacher, do have very different perceptions regarding FL teaching. Issues such as immediate error correction, task-based teaching, students' use of FL early on, use of pair and small-group work, and grammar teaching all reflected differing opinions between groups. Participants' responses to the use of English in testing, the importance of native-like command of the target language by the teacher, the simplification of the FL by the teacher, and the necessity of situating grammar into real-world contexts were similar. In summary, students and teachers seem to have dissimilar views on grammar teaching and communicative language teaching strategies with students favoring a grammar-based approach and teachers favoring a communicative FL classroom.

The purpose of this study is to examine secondary mathematics teachers’ perceptions about technology integration in teaching the grade 9 Linear Relations Unit and to investigate the impact of these perceptions and teachers’ everyday practices on the development of student tasks, construction of content knowledge, and facilitation of students’ mathematical communication within the context of the Linear Relations Unit in grade 9 mathematics. Case studies were conducted with three mathematics teachers teaching in three urban secondary schools in Ontario. Qualitative data was collected through a series of ongoing classroom observations of the teachers. Additionally, interviews were conducted at the beginning and end of the data collection phase with each teacher. The results from this study suggest that the teachers perceived that the integration of technology in the Linear Relations Unit assisted them to: 1) create interactive and dynamic learning environments which helped make the content meaningful to students; 2) guide their instruction and to closely monitor students’ understanding and track their progress, by providing real time feedback; 3) help struggling students move forward in their learning when they did not master the prerequisite skills required to build upon a new math concept and to help them develop math interpretative and problem solving skills; 4) differentiate instruction and address different learning styles and skills making abstract content more tangible and helping students connect words to images and graphs; 5) teach students to verify and validate their answers and check for their correctness, as well as to avoid relying only on the visual aspect of mathematics; and 6) assist students build mathematical communication skills. Implications of the findings for future research and suggestions to secondary mathematics teachers integrating technology, in the context of the Linear Relations Unit, are also included.

The purpose of this study is to examine secondary mathematics teachers’ perceptions about technology integration in teaching the grade 9 Linear Relations Unit and to investigate the impact of these perceptions and teachers’ everyday practices on the development of student tasks, construction of content knowledge, and facilitation of students’ mathematical communication within the context of the Linear Relations Unit in grade 9 mathematics. Case studies were conducted with three mathematics teachers teaching in three urban secondary schools in Ontario. Qualitative data was collected through a series of ongoing classroom observations of the teachers. Additionally, interviews were conducted at the beginning and end of the data collection phase with each teacher. The results from this study suggest that the teachers perceived that the integration of technology in the Linear Relations Unit assisted them to: 1) create interactive and dynamic learning environments which helped make the content meaningful to students; 2) guide their instruction and to closely monitor students’ understanding and track their progress, by providing real time feedback; 3) help struggling students move forward in their learning when they did not master the prerequisite skills required to build upon a new math concept and to help them develop math interpretative and problem solving skills; 4) differentiate instruction and address different learning styles and skills making abstract content more tangible and helping students connect words to images and graphs; 5) teach students to verify and validate their answers and check for their correctness, as well as to avoid relying only on the visual aspect of mathematics; and 6) assist students build mathematical communication skills. Implications of the findings for future research and suggestions to secondary mathematics teachers integrating technology, in the context of the Linear Relations Unit, are also included.

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The integration of discrete mathematics into the secondary school curriculum (grades 7-12) is an important consideration because the mathematical area is dynamic and interesting, providing students the development of mathematical thinking. Also, it provides for teachers the opportunity to develop innovative mathematics instruction. Since the publication of the document Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989), it has been difficult to determine how many schools have integrated discrete mathematics as a separate or as an integrated course in the school mathematics curriculum. Moreover, the mathematics education research community has, for the most part, not focused on teachers' perceptions about teaching and learning discrete mathematics as an area of investigation. Because of the lack of research in this area, the researcher investigated preservice secondary mathematics teachers' perceptions about discrete mathematics and their reactions to the integration of discrete mathematics into the school curriculum. The researcher purposely selected four preservice secondary teachers who were enrolled in a mathematics course in the fall of 2005. Various data sources were used to get a deep understanding of each participant, including selected coursework, an online survey, and interviews. Results indicated that these preservice teachers perceive discrete mathematics as meaningful to students, as it emphasizes processes such as problem solving and mathematical thinking, and it provides opportunities to use innovative instruction. Because of this, the preservice teachers believe that discrete mathematics should be integrated in the school mathematics curriculum. In addition, several factors that affect the integration of discrete mathematics in the school were identified. These factors are the state curriculum and testing, the historical emphasis of algebra and calculus in the school curriculum, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1989, 2000) Standards documents' views of discrete mathematics, teachers' views of discrete mathematics, the lack of knowledge of discrete mathematics, and the lack of materials and guidelines for teaching discrete mathematics. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions and understandings of diversity and inclusive education held by teachers at one South African school. Since 1994, the South African education system has undergone many policy changes. An inclusive education system is consistent with the principles underlying the current democratic dispensation in South Africa. In this research, the researcher aimed to identify and describe the perceptions and understandings of the teachers at the school hold regarding diversity and inclusive education. Elements of school culture, such as values, practices and procedures were looked at in detail. The paradigm worked from in this research is the interpretive constructivist paradigm. The strategy was inductive, the outcomes descriptive and the meaning mediated through the researcher as instrument. This paradigm accounts for multiple realities and highlights the importance of context. A qualitative descriptive case study was done with the aim to describe the phenomena accurately. Bronfenbrenner‟s bioecological model provided a theoretical framework for this study. This theoretical standpoint has great relevance for emphasising the interaction between the development of an individual and the systems within an individual's social context. A purposive sampling strategy was adopted and individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers who participated in the study. Interpretive analysis was done on the transcriptions of the interviews by making use of the constant comparative method of analysis. Coding and inducing of categories and themes helped the researcher engage with and make sense of the data that was generated. The key findings of this study showed that the teachers working at School A have a good understanding and sense of what diversity and inclusive education entails. Their attitudes are generally positive and they embrace diversity and see inclusive education as having many advantages. The teachers feel well-supported in their school environment and display a sense of belonging among the staff. The shared value system of the school is one of acceptance, respect and embracing difference and diversity. There is a culture in the school that encourages the uniqueness of each learner and each child is seen as having potential and subsequently supported in their quest to reach their own unique potential. There are also elements within the school's functioning that require attention, for example, there are two classes of „special education‟ learners that are not entirely included in the regular classes. But, even though there are still elements that need to be addressed and refined within School A – this school is working hard to approach diversity in such a way that creates an environment in which inclusive ideals and practices can continue to grow and develop. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die wyses waarop onderwysers by een bepaalde Suid-Afrikaanse skool diversiteit benader en dit hanteer. Sedert 1994 het die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel etlike beleidsveranderinge ondergaan. 'n Inklusiewe onderwysstelsel is in pas met die onderliggende beginsels van die huidige demokratiese bedeling in Suid- Afrika. In hierdie ondersoek het die navorser daarna gestreef om vas te stel watter persepsies en begrip van diversiteit en inklusiewe onderwys by die onderwysers van 'n betrokke skool bestaan. Elemente van die skoolkultuur, soos waardes, praktyke en prosedures, is in besonderhede bestudeer. Daar is met hierdie navorsing vanuit 'n interpretatiewe paradigma vertrek. Die strategie was induktief, die uitkomste deskriptief, en betekenis is gemedieer deur die navorser as instrument. Hierdie paradigma erken meervoudige werklikhede en belig die belangrikheid van die konteks. 'n Kwalitatiewe beskrywende gevallestudie is onderneem, met die doel om die verskynsels akkuraat te beskryf. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese model het 'n teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie studie verskaf. Hierdie teoretiese standpunt is besonder relevant vir die beklemtoning van interaksie tussen die individu se ontwikkeling en die stelsels binne 'n individu se sosiale konteks. Die deelnemers is doelbewus gekies en individuele, semigestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met onderwysers wat aan die studie deelgeneem het. Die konstante vergelykende metode van analisie is gebruik on die data te analiseer. Die kodering en indusering van kategorieë en temas het die navorser gehelp om die data wat gegenereer is, te hanteer en sinvol te interpreteer. Die sleutelbevindinge van hierdie studie het getoon dat die onderwysers wat aan Skool A verbonde is 'n goeie begrip en aanvoeling het vir wat diversiteit en inklusiewe onderrig behels. Hulle instelling is oor die algemeen positief; hulle verwelkom diversiteit en beskou inklusiewe onderrig as 'n stelsel wat vele voordele bied. Die onderwysers voel dat hul skoolomgewing hulle goed ondersteun en dit blyk dat die personeel 'n onderlinge samehorigheid ervaar. Die gemeenskaplike waardestelsel van die skool is dié van aanvaarding, respek en die viering van verskille en diversiteit. Daar heers 'n skoolkultuur wat die uniekheid van elke leerder aanmoedig; elke kind word gesien as iemand met potensiaal en elkeen word gevolglik ondersteun in 'n poging om hul eie, unieke potensiaal te verwesenlik. Daar is egter ook elemente binne die skool se funksionering wat aandag verg, byvoorbeeld die twee klasse vir „spesiale-onderrig‟-leerders wat nie ten volle in die gewone klasse opgeneem word nie. Maar, hoewel daar in Skool A steeds aspekte is wat aangespreek en verfyn moet word, werk hierdie skool hard om diversiteit op so 'n wyse te benader dat dit 'n omgewing skep waarin inklusiewe ideale en praktyke voortaan kan groei en ontwikkel.

In recent years and as a result of the increasing pace of advances in technology and especially developments in the use of ICT in schools, teachers are now expected to make routine use of ICT in their teaching. This research sought to obtain deeper insight into Saudi secondary school teachers' ICT usage and its relation with ICT educational policy, teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of ICT in the teaching and learning process, and their envisions of possible and preferable usage of ICT in education in the future. The study utilised a sociocultural approach: data was collected via interviews and self completed questionnaires. A total of 14 interviews were conducted with teachers, ICT coordinators and head teachers, and 266 teachers drawn from ten secondary schools in Riyadh City completed the questionnaire. The findings indicate there is widespread use of ICT in secondary schools and most teachers have positive views towards ICT. Teachers pointed to a number of motivators summarised in this formula: internal incentives + school encouragement = competent ICT use in education. Three main factors were found to be hindering teachers' ICT use: time constraints, lack of training, and financial issues. Teachers’ ICT use is guided by policies: the research found that teachers’ ICT use is more influenced by schools’ policy than Ministry of Education policy which they are either unaware of or do not fully understand because of difficulties in implementing it. Finally, teachers anticipated future changes in their role to a facilitator and advisor. Teachers hoped for comprehensive improvement of education, radical curriculum change, and continuous teacher training.

This essay discusses children's spontaneous exploration of the written language. The aims is toinvestigates preschool teachers perception of supporting children in the spontaneous exploration ofthe written language. The reason we want to find out preschool teachers perception is due to what wefound out in the previous research, which shows that the interaction between educators and childrenaffects how students perform. The method used is qualitative which was a semi-structured interview.We also did a short observation where we looked at how the written language was visible in theenvironment. We used this as a basis to one of the questions in the interview. The result and analysisof this essay shows that the teachers in this study perceive that many factors matters when theyshould support children in their exploration of the written language. Teachers perceive that theirapproach o and their design of the environment is main factors when it comes to their supporting ofchildren's’'s spontaneous exploration of the written language. Teachers perceive that their approachand their design of the environment is main factors when it comes to their supporting of children's’'sspontaneous exploration of the written language / <p>Godkännande datum: 2019-06-07</p>