The study explores aspects of teaching and learning Development Studies (social studies) In Lesotho, mainly In lower secondary schools. The current situation of Lesotho and Its education system are briefly described, with an account of the Introduction of Development Studies. The literature on Action Research Is reviewed, together with the work of Sch6n and Argyrls on professional learning, and some themes In research and Innovation In developing countries are discussed. Four Interrelated aspects of the study are described and IIlustrated, together with the research methods used. The core was a collaborative action research project undertaken with 5 Basotho teachers and their classes, In which the teachers selected aspects of their own teaching for Investigation, experimenting with new classroom methods and evaluating their effects. The researcher acted as consultant to the team, whl Ie monitoring and reflecting on the process of consultancy. Concurrently she carried out an observational study of typical teaching-learning processes In 15 other Development Studies classes, and then undertook a sma II action research project Into the teaching of thinking ski IIs. It was found that Development Studies lessons were commonly teacher-centred and didactic, with little pupl I participation and low levels of cognitive ski II. When the teacher-researchers Introduced pupl I-centred, activity-based methods, they found It possible to Increase participation, encourage an open view of knowledge, and make pupl Is more Independent. The level of cognitive skll Is could be raised by deliberate challenge and by Instruction In study skll Is. However, rather than stating firm conclusions, the team has set out a series of propositions for teachers to test further. It Is argued that the process of action research helped the teachers to develop as "reflective practitioners", acquiring Insights Into their own teaching and becoming capable of self-generated growth. Peer support and the various roles played by consultants both appeared Important. It Is concluded that, as wei I as producing practical suggestions for teachers, action research can be a useful and appropriate method of professional development In a developing country, though a supportive Infrastructure Is necessary where the professional ml Ileu Is underdeveloped. The Implications for educational research, teacher education, and INSET are discussed, and recommendations made.

This qualitative study undertook an exploration into the connections between creativity and change/transformation. Its purpose was to begin to understand how creativity could be used as a tool for empowerment, liberation, and transformation, and how creative techniques could be incorporated into educational efforts. Participants were students who were enrolled in an undergraduate course designed and taught by the researcher, entitled Creativity and Change. Using their coursework and interviews, this research explored how these student/participants perceived of themselves as creative individuals and as persons capable of making change in their lives and in the world, how they connected the two concepts of creativity and change, and how they utilized creative processes in envisioning change strategies. This study broke ground in two areas of creativity research: (1) looking at the effects and benefits of a creativity class from the perspective of the students who were enrolled in it, and (2) expanding on the research on climate for creativity by connecting creativity to personal and social change efforts, again, from the perspective of students. The results of this study are a beginning to better understanding the multiple aspects of creativity--expression, process, products--and their importance ta self-development, empowerment, and liberation in education. The responses of the students who participated in this study were encouraging in supporting the premise that there are multiple connections between creativity and change. They demonstrated the effects of creativity in increasing self-knowledge and self-esteem, making connections between people, envisioning solutions to social problems, expanding perceptions to incorporate different perspectives and viewpoints, breaking boundaries, and taking the risks that transformation demands. These student/participants demonstrated, through the discovery of their own creative, capable selves, a sense of empowerment arising from the knowledge that "I CAN." Being able to think outside of conventional structures and paradigms, challenging dualistic thought, and incorporating holistic teaching and learning strategies are some of the strengths and gifts of creativity. This study has shown that the openness and imagination of creative thought and behavior can become a tool to dismantle the injustices of the world and create new, transformative paradigms.

Sweden is a multicultural society which means that there is a lot of pupils in Swedish schools with a background as refugees and with experiences from potentially traumatic and horrible events in their home countries. This study works with two different theories, trigger warning and pragmatism. Trigger warning explains why it could be necessary to hide or protect student from some specific topics or material and pragmatism says that it is educationally successful to use the pupils experiences in the classroom. Contemporary global conflicts, such as the ones that the pupils are coming from, could be a useful subject to teach about in social studies according to the Swedish curriculum. Given this circumstances, this study seeks to examine if it would be educationally and morally appropriate to use this potentially traumatic and sensitive experiences as a method of teaching. According to pragmatism, it would be. However, according to trigger warning, it could be relevant to protect the pupils from this kinds of subjects in school and in the classroom. Therefore, this study contains a tug of war between the two different theories and I interviewed pupils who has moved or has a family who has moved from warzones as refugees about this matter. A core in this study is to take the pupils perspective and examine what good, or bad, that comes out if a teacher in social studies wants to teach about the conflicts that the pupils has a connection to. The result shows that it in fact would be educationally successful even if these subjects are special and a teacher should always think about the circumstances and the methods they are using. In the theoretical tug of war pragmatism comes out as a winner, by trigger warnings could be relevant in some cases.

Teaching the civil rights movement can be challenging. Many history textbooks contain the national story of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, the march to Selma, Alabama, and not much more. Classrooms across the United States follow this path of nationalizing the civil rights movement. This interpretation is only a small part of the civil rights crusade that existed throughout the United States, including in the state of Florida. Teaching only the national story, especially when the local exists, can ignore the human, ordinary element of this movement. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of central Florida teachers when teaching the civil rights movement. It is based on the theoretical assumptions that the national story is the only narrative being taught regarding the civil rights movement, and it sought to determine whether this is the case in the state of Florida, which incorporates the use of local history in its state standards. Data were collected through the use of surveys along with follow up qualitative interviews. The sample size was 319 teachers of whom 65 responded, and eight personal interviews were conducted. Findings show that more than just Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks are being taught, but it is still mostly the national story and not local, community history. Nine themes were identified, ranging from the impact of teachers, which builds upon previous research, to the negative opinion that teachers have for the texts being used, to the different content and timelines being used in social studies classrooms when teaching the civil rights movement. These data are important to educators, historians, administrators, and teachers iv because this is one of the first empirical studies on the subject of teaching the civil rights movement.