The purpose of this thesis is to look into the teaching methods and content in Zimbabwean biology education, and the possible influences that the teachers’ view of nature have on this education. The study was performed in and around Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe with eleven observations and six interviews in primary and secondary schools, corresponding to years four to nine in the Swedish compulsory school. My study shows that the teachers’ view of nature is in many parts similar to the Swedish view of nature, but differ in a closer connection to religiosity and in a more every-day-life relation to nature. This is reflected in several of the concepts that view of nature consist of. The view of nature is influencing the content in biology partly. Since science hold universal concepts which are the same all around the world, the view of nature does not influence the scientific parts of biology, but have influence on where the emphases in the education is put. The results show no direct influence of the view of nature on teaching methods, but indirectly influenced by the choice of content.

Our intention with this study is to investigate teachers work in a multicultural classroom. For the purpose of this study, a web survey was constructed. The investigation was carried out among teachers on three different multicultural secondary schools in Sweden. 53 teachers informed us about their own experiences and thoughts concerning their work in a multicultural classroom. Conceptions as multiculturalism, methods in teaching, the climate in classrooms, teacher cultures and interculturalism has been used in the study. The investigation partly indicates that some teachers do not take multiculturalism into consideration, instead they have a individual view on their students. Although the majority of the teachers do that and actively tries to improve their work within the multicultural classroom. The teachers take care of their students similarities and differences because they want the students to understand about differences. Different views and perspectives are enriching. In order to improve their work the teachers wants further education and more support from the school management and colleagues. The teachers have a positive attitude in general towards the multicultural classroom. / Vår avsikt med denna studie är att undersöka lärares arbete i ett mångkulturellt klassrum. I syftet för studien gjordes en webbenkätundersökning. Undersökningen genomfördes bland lärare på tre mångkulturella 7-9 skolor i Sverige. 53 lärare delade med sig av sina erfarenheter och tankar om sitt arbete i ett mångkulturellt klassrum. Begrepp som mångkultur, undervisningsmetoder, klassrumsklimat, lärarkulturer och interkultur nyttjas i arbetet. Undersökningen visar dels att en del lärare inte tar det mångkulturella i beaktande eftersom de individanpassar undervisningen. Däremot gör flertalet det och försöker aktivt förbättra sitt arbete i det mångkulturella klassrummet. Lärarna tar vara på elevernas likheter och olikheter eftersom de vill att eleverna ska få förståelse för skillnaderna. Olika synsätt och perspektiv ses som något berikande. Vidare efterfrågar lärarna mer fortbildning och stöd från skolledning och kollegor för att kunna utveckla sitt arbete. Lärarna har genomgående en positiv inställning till det mångkulturella klassrummet.

AbstractThis degree project focuses motivation for learning English among a group of Swedish uppersecondary school students. By employing a socio-educational perspective, some vital factorsbehind a strong motivation for learning English in school are investigated through individualinterviews. Components in the past, heralding either a high level of motivation for English or a low such, are primarily focused. Moreover, essential socio-educational factors behind managing to achieve grades in English despite a low level of motivation and various impediments, such as severe socio-psychological adversities, are looked into. While motivation for English is emphasized as a critical factor, in accordance with socio-educational motivation theory, the study also stresses the importance of a positive first encounter with the English language, a satisfying English teacher-student relationship, and a sense of success in the English classroom. But above all, the study stresses a need for early tests among young students for reading disabilities, which according to this study often go undetected and thus severely impede any kind of second language learning and motivation.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) on 9th grade students&rsquo / geometry achievement. The study was conducted in a rural town of Ankara with 44 ninth-grade high school students. The randomized pretest-posttest control group design was used. The experimental group was instructed with hybrid PBL and the control group was instructed with traditional teaching methods. The treatment was given for 4 hours every week for a total of six weeks. Geometry Achievement Test (GAT) was administrated as pre-test, post test and retention test to both groups to measure students&rsquo / academic achievement in geometry, was developed by the researcher. This test included 18 items which were related to polygons and circular region. In order to analyze the obtained data, Mann-Witney U, Independent T-test and one-way repeated measures Analysis of Variance were used. Analysis of post test results indicated that there was no statistically significant mean rank difference between students who were instructed by traditional teaching method and those who were instructed by PBL. There was also no significant mean difference between retention of GAT scores of the two groups. In addition, a statistically significant change in GAT scores of students who were instructed by PBL across three time periods (pre-treatment, post treatment and retention) was found. There were statistically significant mean differences between their prior and post GAT scores / and between their prior and retention GAT scores of the PBL method group. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant mean difference between post and retention GAT scores. The present study suggests that PBL can contribute to students&rsquo / retention of geometry achievement

The present study aimed to investigate teaching self efficacy beliefs of instructors working at university prep-schools and to examine whether years of teaching experience, English competency, self reported proficiency and graduate department predicted instructors&rsquo / self efficacy beliefs and their efficacy beliefs in student engagement, instructional strategies and classroom management. Two-hundred-fifty-seven prep-school instructors from universities in Ankara participated in the study. The data were collected through Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, Self Reported English Proficiency Scale and Language Teaching Methods Scale. Both descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation and hierarchical regression analysis, were utilized by PASW 18. The results of the study indicated that the instructors have quite higher overall self efficacy beliefs. The instructors feel more efficacious in classroom management than using instructional strategies while they feel least efficacious in student engagement. Moreover, instructors&rsquo / overall self efficacy beliefs were significantly predicted by experience, English competency and self reported proficiency. Student engagement efficacy was not predicted by experience while it was significantly predicted by English competency and self reported proficiency. Instructional strategy efficacy beliefs were significantly predicted by experience, English competency and self reported proficiency. Classroom management efficacy was predicted by experience and self reported proficiency while English competency was not a significant predictor. Being a graduate of Faculties of Education was not a significant predictor in any regression models. Lastly, there was a significant relationship between the instructors&rsquo / use of communicative method and their overall self efficacy beliefs and its three sub-scales.

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to look into the teaching methods and content in Zimbabwean biology education, and the possible influences that the teachers’ view of nature have on this education. The study was performed in and around Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe with eleven observations and six interviews in primary and secondary schools, corresponding to years four to nine in the Swedish compulsory school. </p><p>My study shows that the teachers’ view of nature is in many parts similar to the Swedish view of nature, but differ in a closer connection to religiosity and in a more every-day-life relation to nature. This is reflected in several of the concepts that view of nature consist of. The view of nature is influencing the content in biology partly. Since science hold universal concepts which are the same all around the world, the view of nature does not influence the scientific parts of biology, but have influence on where the emphases in the education is put. The results show no direct influence of the view of nature on teaching methods, but indirectly influenced by the choice of content.</p>

Web-based lessons teaching graph construction techniques (via the internet) were presented to 144 undergraduate and graduate college students. One group experienced program-controlled tutorials requiring them to construct answers in a defined sequence. A second group experienced identical lesson material in the form of typographically cued text presentations. The programmed instruction students performed significantly better than the cued-text group on an immediate computer-based posttest assessing comprehension of the graphing lesson material. The cued-text group performed better on an applied graphing assignment. The experiment did not account for individuals internet study habits or the metacognitive approaches to learning employed by the study participants.

According to the scientific research schoolchildren lack knowledge of healthy way of life and physical education. Most researchers claim that students health is getting worse and physical inactivity, smoking. Irrational nutrition has been spreading. However, school physical education research is mostly based on the development of schoolchildren physical abilities of various body systems. Thees the experiment was carried out to investigate the incorporation of theoretical lessons on physical education and healthy way of life into the process of physical training by using using different activating methods. Research objective: To investigate the efficiency of activating teachings methods and their effect on the physical activity and acquistition of the knowledge oh healthy way of life among 7 -8 fom students in a basic school. 386 schoolchildren participated in the pedagogical experiment conducted in Vilnius „Emilijos Pliaterytės” basic school from September 2004 till March 2005. Research methods used in a Masters thesis were as follows: analysis of literature, questionnaire methods, pedagogical experiment, mathematical, statistical analysis. The change in the knowledge of the healthy way of life and physical educations was determined by a questionnaire method during the period of experiment. Activating methods (discussions, debates, brainstorming, each student active invillvement) were used in experimental gruops to extend and improve students knowledgw of healthy... [to full text]

Mokyklinių istorijos vadovėlių turinio projektavimas ugdymo paradigmų kaitoje Šio darbo tyrimo objektas - VI-ųjų klasių istorijos vadovėlių turinio projektavimas didaktiniu požiūriu. Buvo siekiama ištirti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos VI-ųjų klasių vadovėlių turinio projektavimą ugdymo paradigmų kaitoje. Iš pradžių buvo analizuojama mokslinė literatūra apie mokyklinių vadovėlių turinio projektavimą bei siekiama atskleisti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos istorijos vadovėlių pasirinkimo kriterijus, atsižvelgiant į istorijos mokytojų didaktines nuostatas. Tyrimo metu apklausti 123 VI-siose klasėse dirbantys įvairiose Lietuvos respublikos vietovėse mokytojai. Atliekant tyrimą nustatėme, kad vadovėlio pasirinkimą lemia jų atitikimas Bendrosioms programoms. Tačiau nė vieno vadovėlio negalima pavadinti geriausiu, nes nė vienas nelaiduoja vienodai gerai didaktikos principų. Nustatyta, kad šiuolaikiniai istorijos vadovėliai geriausiai laiduoja vaizdumo principo, moksliškumo, prieinamumo principą, tačiau dar pasigendama vidinės integracijos, ugdomojo mokymosi, reflektyvaus mokymosi principų prielaidų. Istorijos vadovėliai laiduoja įvairius mokymo metodus. Palankiausiai įvertino „minčių lietaus“ ir „sąvokų žemėlapių“ metodus naudojamus vadovėliuose. Mokyklose naudojami istorijos vadovėliai labiau laiduoja klasikinius mokymo metodus, nei šiuolaikinius, aktyviuosius metodus. Vertinant VI klasės istorijos vadovėlių turinio projektavimą ergonominiu požiūriu, nustatyta, kad kalbos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object of this research is planning a subject- matter of manuals for the 6th grade in history in didactics approach. It was important to research the planning subject-matter for secondary school manuals for the 6th grade in history on the background of the transition of educational paradigms. At the beginning scientific literature about the subject –matter of the school manuals was analysed as well as reveal criteria of the choice of the manual in history depending on the teacher’s didactics attitude. 123 teachers of history working in the 6th grade were questioned all over the country during the research. The result revealed that the choice of the manual depends on its correspondence with the Common curriculum. Also it became obvious that none of the manuals could be recognised as the best one for none could guarantee the equal implementation of the principles of the didactics. It was estimated that contemporary manuals for history guarantee pictorial principle, as well as scholarly, accessibility, but still there is a lack of assumptions of internal integration, training learning, and reflective learning. The manuals for history ensure variety of teaching methods. The methods represented in the manuals as brain storming and mind map were assessed most positively. The manuals most frequently used at school ensure the classical teaching methods more often than modern and the active ones. While assessing the planning subject-matter of manuals for 6th grade in history in... [to full text]

Visuomenės pokyčiai, nesustabdoma technologijų plėtra ir įvairovė verčia šiandien naujai žvelgti į mokymą kaip visuotinį procesą. Kinta mokymo koncepcijos, pedagoginės nuostatos, tikslai bei mokymo metodai. Šiuolaikines informacines priemones ir technologijas skatinama vartoti visuose mokomojo proceso lygmenyse, mokant ir besimokant įvairių dalykų. Informacinės ir komunikacinės technologijos taikomos ugdymo procese siekiant, kad ir mokymas, ir mokymasis kokybiškai pakistų, kad iš esmės pagerėtų mokyklų, mokytojų ir mokinių edukacinės veiklos efektyvumas, o pats mokymo procesas taptų patrauklesnis besimokančiajam, suteiktų daugiau galimybių. Atliekant, Utenos pagrindinių mokyklų mokytojų kompiuterizuoto mokymo metodų taikymo edukacinėje praktikoje, tyrimą buvo nustatyta, kokius kompiuterizuoto mokymo metodus mokytojai taiko, įvertintas šių metodų taikymo edukacinėje praktikoje veiksmingumas, palyginti mokyklų vadovų ir mokytojų požiūriai į kompiuterizuoto mokymo metodus, atskleidžiant jų privalumus ir įvardijant pagrindines problemas. Apibendrinant tyrimo rezultatus paaiškėjo, kad mokytojai dažniausiai taiko kompiuterizuotus informacinius teikiamuosius ir atgaminamuosius bei operacinius praktinius metodus, o silpniausiai mokytojų įvaldyti ir mažiausiai naudojami yra kompiuterizuoti kūrybiniai metodai, kurie formuoja savarankišką ir kūrybingą asmenybę. Taikydami kompiuterizuoto mokymo metodus ugdyme, mokytojai kompiuterį vertina, kaip mokymo priemonę, o kompiuterizuoti mokymo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Changes in society, variety of technology tools force us to look at teaching process differently. Teaching concepts, pedagogical preferences, teaching goals and methods have been changing during the years. Modern information technologies are very important for effective learning and efficient education services and they have to be integrated into educational system. It is widely acknowledged that information and communication technologies are providing new ways of education in order to improve quality of teaching and learning. It is important that educational process itself would become more attractive and provide more possibilities to learners. The research was carried out in Utena basic schools in order to find out what technology-based teaching methods are used in educational process. Effectiveness of computer-aided learning was evaluated, technology-based teaching methods from the standpoints of headmasters’ and teachers’ were compared, the main advantages and disadvantages were discussed in this work. Research has indicated that teachers commonly apply computer-based rendering, recall and practical methods, meanwhile computer-based creative methods that focus on exploring ideas, generating possibilities and encouraging independent thinking are used less. According to teachers, computer-based methods are effective to render, model and review teaching resources as well as apply gained knowledge in new situations. Both headmasters and teachers agree that computer-based... [to full text]