The landscape of initial teacher education (ITE) in Britain is changing (BERA Inquiry, 2014). In England, trainee teachers’ routes to professional qualification are subject to assessment against Teachers’ Standards (Department for Education, 2012), which some argue enshrine the competences trainees require for professional life (Cole, 2008). Competence views of teaching are challenged elsewhere as reductive (Stanley and Stronach, 2012) and counter to the view that teaching (Hobson et al., 2008) and learning to teach (Hodgson, 2014) are complex pedagogical activities (Alexander, 2008). Some argue the competence-view of learning to teach reduces teaching to a “craft-based occupation” (Beauchamp et al., 2015), epitomized in entirely school-based training initiatives such as School Direct (National College for Teaching and Leadership, 2014a) with trainee teachers learning “on the job” (Department for Education, 2010, p23). This study aims to contribute to this debate by examining trainees’ professional development within the historical development of the teaching profession. Whilst undertaking a Post-graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), data on seven trainee teachers’ professional development were gathered throughout three school placements using active interviewing (Holstein and Gubrium, 1998), prior to within- and cross-case analysis (Creswell, 1998). Trainees’ hand-drawn trajectories of professional development show turning points (Vygotsky, 1978) which direct analysis towards key influences on a complex intellectual process of learning about practice (Dreier, 2002), refining indications from earlier analysis using a componential model of professional development (Evans, 2011). Using Vygotsky’s method of developmental study (Vygotsky, 1978), professional development is understood as a historical process whereby practice-related concepts “take shape” (ibid.) and trainees’ learning (about practice) supports their (professional) development. A relational agency interpretation (Edwards, 2007b) emphasises the influence on trainees’ professional development of working jointly with professional colleagues on problem-resolution, contingent on trainees’ learning through tool and sign use during practice (Wertsch et al., 1993). The findings of this small study suggest that trainee teachers’ professional development is only adequately conceptualised as a complex process led by the intellectual activity of learning about practice. The implications of reframing learning to teach as a social and relational practice implies a personalised approach to teacher education which, this study finds, may support the development of responsive practitioners.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-21T11:39:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Valéria Zanetti Ney_.pdf: 8284953 bytes, checksum: 7c6b710273d23a52844ca275066ee4ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-21T11:39:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Valéria Zanetti Ney_.pdf: 8284953 bytes, checksum: 7c6b710273d23a52844ca275066ee4ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-01-03 / Nenhuma / Estudar o ambiente da sala de aula do professor em formação é desempenhar o importante papel de crescer, de se desenvolver e de possibilitar a troca diária de conhecimentos que levam ao universo da língua estrangeira. Esta tese, a partir dos pressupostos da teoria sociocultural, dos conceitos de consciência linguística e, ainda, das noções de tarefas colaborativas e os impactos da análise e correção de erros procura evidências de percepção de construção de conhecimento por aprendizes adultos em língua inglesa referente à consciência lexical, partindo do ensino lexical implícito. Para isso, este estudo, é uma pesquisa-ação de cunho quali-quanti, que busca ampliar a discussão na área de ensino-aprendizagem de línguas, ao investigar o processo da aprendizagem de inglês como língua estrangeira no ambiente de formação de professores de uma universidade comunitária do Rio Grande do Sul. Para a análise dos dados foram aplicadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, testes tendo como padrão o Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) de Paribakht e Wesche e sessões de visionamento com os professores em formação. A relevância da pesquisa se dá a partir do momento em que não há um número expressivo de trabalhos na área e pode contribuir para a comunidade acadêmica em geral, uma vez que produziu conhecimentos para uma área ainda carente de estudos, considerando-se a proposta de desenvolver a pesquisa estabelecendo uma inter-relação entre princípios da teoria sociocultural e a consciência linguística lexical. Por meio da pesquisa, evidencia-se que o ensino lexical implícito promove a consciência linguística lexical. / Studying the classroom environment of teachers in training is to play the important role of growing, developing and enabling the daily exchange of knowledge that lead to the universe of foreign languages. This thesis, based on the assumptions of sociocultural theory, concepts of language awareness, and also on the notions of collaborative tasks and the impacts of analysis and correction of errors, seeks for evidences on the knowledge development perceptions by English adult learners in lexical awareness, starting from implicit lexical teaching. For this, this study is a quali-quanti action research that seeks to broaden the discussion in the area of languages teaching-learning by investigating the process of learning English as a foreign language in the teacher training course of a university in Rio Grande do Sul. For the data analysis, semi-structured interviews, tests based on Paribakht and Wesche's Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) and viewing sessions with the teachers in formation were provided. The relevance of this thesis assumes that there is not a significant number of studies in the area and it contributes to the academic community in general, since it will produce knowledge establishing an interrelationship between the principals of sociocultural theory and lexical linguistic awareness. Through this thesis it is possible to assure that the implicit lexical teaching leads to lexical linguistic awareness.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-06-30T23:44:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 61.pdf: 2018457 bytes, checksum: 87659d40c85f1ff3eb089013f6de00d0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-30T23:44:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 61.pdf: 2018457 bytes, checksum: 87659d40c85f1ff3eb089013f6de00d0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-01-10 / Nenhuma / Partindo dos pressupostos da teoria sociocultural de L. Vygotsky (1986,1998) e de diversos estudos sobre escrita colaborativa em ambiente digital e erro, esta pesquisa tem como propósito discutir e refletir sobre a escrita colaborativa em língua inglesa quando esta se dá em uma ferramenta digital. Também investiga-se como acontece o processo de edição textual entre os alunos durante a escrita. Considerou-se, ainda, como o feedback negociado do professor pode contribuir para o aprimoramento da produção. Tendo como ponto de partida duas tarefas colaborativas, quatro alunos de um curso livre de língua inglesa, divididos em duplas e frequentando o nível intermediário I, realizaram, em meio virtual, a co-construção de textos. A partir de uma pesquisa qualitativa de estudo de caso, foram considerados para fins de análise as interações no fórum, as alterações armazenadas no histórico, o feedback do professor sobre as produções dos alunos, bem como a visão dos participantes sobre o trabalho desenvolvido. Os dados sugerem que a escrita colaborativa em ferramenta digital fomenta a participação do aluno, gerando oportunidades de construção conjunta de conhecimento através da interação social e do uso da língua antes e durante o processo de escrita. Quanto ao processo de feedback, encontramos evidências de que este, quando negociado entre professor e aluno, contribui para que ele chegue à forma correta com maior consciência sobre o erro, o que poderá possibilitar a utilização adequada da forma em produções futuras. / Based on the assumptions of L. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1986, 1998) and several studies on collaborative writing in digital environment and error, this research aims to discuss and think over collaborative writing in English when this process is developed by using a digital tool. It also investigates how the process of editing text among students takes place during the development of the written assignments. The present study also considered how teacher's negotiated feedback may contribute to the improvement of students’ production. The research starts by evaluating two collaborative tasks, performed by four students from a free course in English, divided into pairs and attending the intermediate I level. The tasks were carried out in a virtual environment, where students had to construct texts collaboratively. This research is a case study which uses a qualitative method analysis. The interactions in the forum among students, the changes stored in the history tool, the teacher’s feedback on students' productions, as well as the views of the participants about their work were considered for this investigation. The data suggest that collaborative writing using a digital tool fosters student participation, creating opportunities for collaborative construction of knowledge through social interaction and also promotes the use of the target language more effectively before and during the writing process. As for the teacher’s feedback, this research finds that, when it is negotiated between the teacher and the student, it brings higher level of recognition to the learner to reach the correct form with greater awareness about the error, which may allow the use of a proper form in future productions.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-07-01T23:13:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 09.pdf: 1510434 bytes, checksum: 30a8fd4d52445e8001caf42baef735af (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-01T23:13:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 09.pdf: 1510434 bytes, checksum: 30a8fd4d52445e8001caf42baef735af (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-15 / Nenhuma / As dificuldades de aprendizagem (DAs) estão presentes no contexto regular de ensino, abrangendo um número considerável de estudantes em uma ou mais disciplinas. Na maioria das vezes, são empecilho para o desenvolvimento da aprendizagem escolar, considerados a faixa etária e o nível de escolaridade dos alunos, causando rendimento aquém do esperado e, muitas vezes, levando a criança a repetir o ano letivo. Diante disso, fazem-se necessários estudos que reflitam tanto sobre as dificuldades de aprendizagem em virtude de o aluno apresentar o que se denomina como pessoa com deficiência, quanto sobre as dificuldades de aprendizagem consideradas inespecíficas, que advêm como consequências ao ambiente escolar e/ou familiar da criança, ao tipo de instrução recebida, às suas condições sociais e econômicas, às variáveis pessoais, entre outras. Esta pesquisa, imersa nessa reflexão, constitui-se como uma pesquisa-ação, na qual a geração de dados ocorreu por meio de entrevistas, coleta de atividades e gravação em vídeo durante a realização de uma proposta de ensino em língua inglesa. Deste modo, em um primeiro momento, centra-se na aprendizagem de Língua Estrangeira por alunos com DAs no contexto regular de ensino, implementando-se uma proposta de trabalho, com base na teoria sociocultural de Vygotsky, que, juntamente com as concepções de letramento, evidencia as aprendizagens destes alunos em relação ao domínio do idioma. O foco incide no papel da língua inglesa em tais contextos, pois esta pesquisadora tem verificado um envolvimento bastante positivo dos alunos rumo à aprendizagem deste idioma. Os resultados deste estudo indicam que o que se assume na escola como dificuldades de aprendizagem, de fato, não corresponde ao aprendizado na língua alvo revelado por alunos envoltos em um ambiente propicio para aprendizagem, que respeite suas especificidades e considere os conhecimentos prévios que possuem acerca do que será trabalhado, fornecendo suporte para a construção do conhecimento por meio da interação. Diante de tais constatações, ressaltamos que a concepção de DAs deve ser repensada no cotidiano escolar, pois, se não houver práticas pedagógicas que visem à promoção da aprendizagem, ao invés de esta ser valorizada, serão ressaltadas as dificuldades. Entendemos, portanto, que o foco nas dificuldades não deve ser assumido pela comunidade escolar, pois, como revela esta pesquisa, a aprendizagem da língua inglesa é desvelada ao longo de todo o processo investigado. / The learning disabilities (LDs) are present in the regular teaching context embracing a significant number of students in one or more subjects. Most of the times, they are an obstacle to the development of the educational learning, once considered the age group and the level of education of the students, resulting on a performance below the expectations and, in many cases, having the child to repeat the grade. Given those facts, studies that reflect both on learning disabilities by virtue of the student to present what is called disabled person, as well as on learning disabilities considered nonspecific, that emerge as consequences to the school and/or family environment of the child, to the kind of instruction received, to their economical and social conditions, to the personal variables, among others. This research, immerse in this reflection, is constituted as an action research, in which data were generated through interviews, collection of activities and video recordings during the implementation of a teaching proposal with the English language. Thus, in a first moment, it is centered on the learning of Foreign Language by students with LDs in a regular school context, implementing a proposal of work, based on the sociocultural theory by Vygotsky, which, together with concepts of literacy, evinces the learning of these students regarding their domain of the language. The focus is on the role of the English language in such contexts, once this researcher has verified a positive involvement of those students towards the learning of this language. The results of this study indicate that what the school defines as learning disabilities, in fact, does not correspond to the learning of the target language showed by students surrounded by a proper environment for learning, which respects their specificities and considers their previous knowledge about the subject that will be approached, giving support to the construction of knowledge through interaction. Given such findings, we highlight that the concept of LDs must be rethought in schools’ routine, for, if there are not pedagogical practices that aim the promotion of learning, instead of the latter being valued, the difficulties will stand out. We understand, therefore, that the focus on the difficulties does not have to be assumed by the school community, because, as this study shows, the learning of the English language is unveiled all along the investigated process.

Syftet med undersökningen är att synliggöra förskollärares attityder till matematik och hur attityderna påverkar barns matematiska lärande i förskolan. Detta undersöks genom ett sociokulturellt perspektiv och med fokus på de teoretiska begreppen kultur, mediering, språk, den proximala utvecklingszonen, matematik enligt Bishops modell, attityd och matematisk subjektivitet. Studien följer en kvalitativ ansats och empirin har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultaten visar att förskollärarna har positiva attityder till matematik och att de är medvetna om att deras attityder till matematik påverkar barns lärande och prestationer i matematik. Vidare visar resultaten att förskollärarna betonar miljön som viktig för barns lärande där de själva och konkret material ingår i miljön.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2017-03-15T15:54:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Suzan Severo de Severo_.pdf: 2197379 bytes, checksum: 9a2c7a9d65120c15d1f440355c9fd7c7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-15T15:54:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Suzan Severo de Severo_.pdf: 2197379 bytes, checksum: 9a2c7a9d65120c15d1f440355c9fd7c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-01-09 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares / Este estudo parte de um contexto de aprendizado misto ou b-learning, em que se experimentou o uso do WhatsApp, uma ferramenta comunicacional largamente utilizada na sociedade, para a promoção de diálogos espontâneos entre aprendizes de Inglês como LE, incentivando a prática da LE. Dentro de uma perspectiva sociocultural e considerando-se que a aprendizagem se dá através da mediação de artefatos socioculturais e na interação com outros sujeitos (VYGOTSKY, 1978), este trabalho objetiva compreender como se dá a mediação da aprendizagem através da ferramenta WhatsApp. Mais especificamente, pretendeu-se analisar a produção dos aprendizes de inglês como LE durante a interação na língua que aprendem através de grupos formados no WhatsApp, buscando compreender como se organizam as interações através do aplicativo e como elas poderiam contribuir para o aprendizado da LE. O resultado demonstrou que os aprendizes, na medida em que trocavam mensagens com seus colegas e com a professora, testavam hipóteses, percebiam lacunas em seu conhecimento e engajavam-se em análises metalinguísticas (SWAIN,1985,1995,2005). Além disso, através da interação, foi possível perceber que os aprendizes apoiavam uns aos outros e buscavam formas de expandir o conhecimento e manter-se no diálogo, seja através da pesquisa de palavras em dicionários, seja apoiando-se na primeira língua (L1) ou, ainda, fazendo uso de táticas conversacionais para a negociação de sentido (LONG, 1983, 1996), o que permitiu aos estudantes manterem-se engajados nas conversas e tanto pedir apoio quanto oferecer apoio no processo de produção e aprendizagem da LE. / This study was developed in a blended learning context in which there was an experiment on using WhatsApp, a largely used and well known tool for communication, as a means for fostering spontaneous dialogues among learners of English as a foreign language. Based on a sociocultural perspective and considering that learning happens through interaction mediated by sociocultural artifacts (Vygotsky, 1978), this work aims at understanding how the process of learning is mediated as students chat on WhatsApp. More specifically, it aims at analyzing students’ production of the foreign language as they interact using the language they learn through the group on WhatsApp and how it could, in some way, contribute with their learning process. Based on the data and the students’ opinions, it was found that WhatsApp can be an effective resource to engage students in producing the language they learn so that they have more opportunities for hypothesis testing, noticing gaps in their knowledge of the foreign language as well as engage them in metatalk (SWAIN,1985,1995,2005). Moreover, through their chatting, it was possible to notice that learners scaffolded each other and searched for means of maintaining themselves engaged in the dialogue by searching words in online dictionaries, using the first language as a support or using conversational tactics for negotiating meaning (LONG, 1983, 1996), what allowed students to get engaged in conversations and ile maintaining themselves engaged in conversations and both ask for and give support on the process of producing and learning the foreign language.

Collaborative work in pairs or groups is a common practice in the workplace, in content courses, and in classrooms across languages, settings, and geopolitical boundaries. However, research on collaborative writing—working with a partner to jointly produce a text, including both planning and writing phases—is limited. In addition, it has resulted in contradictory findings, especially in terms of whether learners deliberate about language and how the composition process affects the written texts produced learners produce. The present study, carried out in a fifth-semester university Spanish Writing course, examines the process (i.e., interaction) and product (i.e., written document) of a collaborative writing module that focused on the creation of narratives. The analysis of learners’ collaborative dialogue produced during the planning and writing phases of the interaction focuses on: (1) at a macro level, how learners apportion their time while collaboratively planning and producing a written narrative (e.g., planning, formulating, revising); and (2) at a micro level, the types (e.g., discourse, grammatical, lexical, mechanical), frequency, and resolution (e.g., resolved, unresolved, resolved incorrectly) of their language-related episodes (i.e., the instances where they talk about the language they are producing and question their language use). Learners’ jointly produced texts were examined analytically in terms of complexity, fluency, and accuracy measures, as well as holistically using a rubric. Additionally, a microdiscourse analytic approach was used to examine the means by which members of a collaborative pair position themselves as partners in a collaborative writing activity. Results indicate that a fully collaborative writing event is a productive site for co- constructed learning as students pool their knowledge to solve language-use problems, particularly those related to word choice and grammatical structures. Additionally, the texts composed collaboratively are of higher quality, based on several of the measures utilized, than texts composed individually by members of the collaborative pair. Finally, implications for implementing collaborative writing tasks in L2 classrooms are discussed.

Technology that analyzes written human language displays compelling possibilities for computer assisted language learning (CALL). Applications may be designed to examine second language students’ free text production in order to suggest improvements, draw attention to selected linguistic elements, provide examples from native language use, etc. However, language technology is not free from issues. Output from the tools is occasionally inaccurate, and the tools’ emphasis on language structure stands in possible contrast with pedagogies that foreground the social nature of language. These difficulties cannot be resolved by improving technology alone. It is equally important to find out in empirical detail how students handle possibly problematic directions from particular tools, and how tasks and teacher guidance may affect students’ tool usage. This thesis provides detailed analyses of applied CALL activities with a language tool, in order to discern how usage of that particular tool occurs, and how complex interrelationships of tool and context of use direct students. The thesis makes six interrelated contributions, ranging from particular empirical results to implications for general theory and methodology in CALL. On the level of theory, the thesis 1) provides an argument to reintroduce language technology in CALL, and 2) suggests grounding in sociocultural theory for investigating second language classroom CALL as it unfolds. From these standpoints, it 3) develops methodology and empirical studies on the use of a particular tool in the hands of students in class. The studies result in 4) illuminations of problems in use and means to avoid these problems by attending to classroom setting. Returning to general theory, the results provide 5) evidence that the introduction of novel tools demands more than merely providing technology for students and teachers, suggesting 6) a need for more detailed considerations of how CALL tools are introduced to students.

In this two-years masters thesis the information practices of former interns are examined in relation to a possible lack of certain kinds of information in the prison environment. The essay is positioned in the research field of information practices which means its looking at all kinds of information, formal and informal. Since the essay is in the field of information practices it means the focus lies in how information is taught whithin contexts and groups. Information is not looked at solely as an individual process but is seen as a collective experience. The method of the essay is that of the qualitative research interview. Besides taking an interest in information practices i investigate whether access of information in prisons could be improved and whether the library organisations could be a part of those improvements. The result of my research shows that information in the prison coming from the correctional institution is not perceived as well functioning. Some exceptions where found but these where described by the informants as instances where staff had been extra helpful, as opposed to there being a functioning system of information practices in place in the organisation of the prison. Several of the informants thought information within groups of inmates could be motivating. A reason for this could be that groups of inmates are in the same situation, the power differences of the situated identities inmate and prison guard does not exist among inmates. In order of accessing relevant information from prison staff the inmates had to be driven and determined. The result of this essay further shows that it is too late to plan the release after the release has taken place. Several of the informants recounted increased difficulties in adjustment to the new social situation, having gone through psychological breakdown subsequent to their release. Many practical problems like for example homelessness also occurred. The research points to the prison libraries as a place where steps in coping with the release could successfully have been taken. This being so because the libraries are a place where the situated prisoner identity can be dissolved. Where one can remember ones interests and which books one used to read. in which sense there is already in the library room, an opening to the outside world. During the prison stay many find it difficult thinking about the world outside. It can be explained in terms of an adjustment to the social practices in the institution having taken place and in that the contrasts between the correctional institution and the world outside being to wide.

The post-observation conference offers a potentially fecund context for promoting language teacher learning, but very little research has been conducted into how this actually happens. Taking Vygotskian sociocultural theory as its theoretical framework, this study examined the mediational discourse of a series of post-observation conferences between a mentor and two practicing English language teachers to investigate the nature of the discourse and the relationship between the mediational discourse and the language teachers` learning. Features of mediational discourse identified a priori (such as intersubjectivity, graduated and contingent help, and externalization of reasoning) were present in the data, but were found to be inadequate to lead to insights into the relationship between the language of the mediation and the development of the teachers` ability to think conceptually about language teaching. What emerged from closer analysis of the language was how the mentor`s discourse prompted the teachers to think conceptually about language teaching and modeled conceptual thinking by encapsulating the lived experience of the classroom through different types of verbal, and therefore conceptual, abstraction. Constructed dialogue was also found to be a salient feature of the discourse, and to have a cognitive function within the mediation. In terms of the relationship of the dialogue to the language teachers` learning, a micro-level analysis of single post-observation conferences revealed the dynamic flow of the mediation and instances of uptake of conceptual thinking by the teachers. A more macro-level analysis which followed mediation on a single topic for each teacher found evidence for the development of conceptual thinking in one teacher`s data but less so in the second teacher`s, and reasons for this are suggested. The results of the study also constitute a revealing account of the nature of the mediational discourse, suggesting a possible cognitive function for the different types of conceptualizations in the discourse, which has the potential to increase understanding of how verbal mediation interacts with learning, and to inform how post-observation conferences are conducted with a view to maximizing the development of conceptual thinking. The taxonomy of conceptualization identified within the mediation discourse points towards an understanding of how the idealization of lived experience and subsequent re-concretization reflect the role that language plays in the development of conceptual thinking.