The National Policies of Education in India have recognized the need for teacher professional development. However, science teachers continue to look for innovative methods to improve teaching. Through collaborative action research with four science teachers at a girls' school in Hyderabad, India, the study explored conditions that enhance or inhibit the implementation of constructivist instructional methods. Data were collected through interviews, reflective memos, research journal, collages and found poetry. The study found that teacher background and experience, teachers' views on science education and the school environment played a role in teacher development. The use of constructivist instructional strategies affected teachers' views on science education. The teachers felt that acknowledging students' preconceptions helped them grasp scientific concepts easily. Also, constructivist methods made teaching more enjoyable and less burdensome. Teacher education institutes should consider creating collaborative networks between teachers and researchers and apply constructivist approaches to teacher education and development.

As knowledge workers in post-compulsory education, contemporary women Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers help train Australia's skilled workforce. Their work is instrumental in government strategies to enhance national competitiveness in global markets. Yet their contributions to Australian education have been neglected, their work/lives have remained unremarked, and their voices unheard. My research focus, therefore, was to examine how these teachers fared in recent, dramatic restructurings of the TAFE sector, part of the national Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, and to look particularly at how they responded to TAFE and other work/life changes. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2002.

As knowledge workers in post-compulsory education, contemporary women Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers help train Australia's skilled workforce. Their work is instrumental in government strategies to enhance national competitiveness in global markets. Yet their contributions to Australian education have been neglected, their work/lives have remained unremarked, and their voices unheard. My research focus, therefore, was to examine how these teachers fared in recent, dramatic restructurings of the TAFE sector, part of the national Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, and to look particularly at how they responded to TAFE and other work/life changes / thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2002.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Tara Goldstein.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-251).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2007. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2755.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-318). Also available on the Internet.

Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-86).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-318). Also available on the Internet.

Esta dissertação analisa como professoras mulheres da Rede Municipal de Ensino (RME) de Porto Alegre relacionam seu trabalho docente com os feminismos a partir dadiscussão sobre a narrativa conservadora da ―ideologia de gênero‖ nas escolas. A partir do uso de uma perspectiva sociológica crítica de estudos educacionais, a pesquisa utiliza os conceitos de hegemonia e ideologia para compreender a organização social. Em uma realidade tramada por disputas por hegemonia, em que distintas ideologias se fazem presentes de forma contraditória e pulverizada no senso comum, analisa-se o fenômeno da chamada ―ideologia de gênero‖ – narrativa inventada pelo Vaticano nos anos 1990 como tentativa de interromper os avanços dos Estudos de Gênero e movimentos feministas. Entende-se que, através de uma aliança conservadora entre neoliberais e neoconservadores, esse movimento ―antigênero‖ e ―antifeminista‖ tem-se popularizado no contexto educacional brasileiro. Embora tenha sido constatado debate crescente acerca da temática no campo científico, buscou-se investigar uma perspectiva ainda invisibilizada: a de professoras mulheres. Entende-se que quaisquer mudanças propostas e instauradas na legislação educacional concernem, primordialmente, às mulheres: são elas a maioria absoluta do corpo docente brasileiro da educação básica e, apesar de historicamente organizado e resistente como categoria, o trabalho docente se (con)forma ainda por heranças patriarcais e sexistas Através da condução de dois grupos focais com oito professoras, pretendeu-se observar aproximações e distanciamentos das perspectivas feministas com seus trabalhos docentes, utilizando como disparador dos debates iniciativas ―antigênero‖ e ―antifeministas‖, como as do Movimento Escola Sem Partido. Visibilizando contradições existentes nas dinâmicas sociais, foi possível constatar reverberações tanto dos discursos conservadores quanto dos feministas no senso comum das participantes. Inerentemente contraditório e heterogêneo, o senso comum é permeado também por elementos de ―bom senso‖, que podem causar identificação com discursos baseados no convencimento. Assim, a narrativa da aliança conservadora se dá relativamente bem-sucedida entre as professoras, causando identificação com o uso do gênero como instância biologizante e com elementos de culpabilização acerca de seus trabalhos. Observou-se preocupação de que, uma vez interessadas em desconstruir estereótipos e problematizar desigualdades de gênero/sexualidade, as professoras pudessem estar interferindo negativamente na formação identitária dos alunos Constatou-se também a presença de perspectivas feministas no trabalho docente das professoras que, em suas práticas, procuram acolher e legitimar existências distintas da norma binária e heterossexual e demonstrar olhar atento à (re)produção de desigualdades. Ainda que indiquem uma diferença geracional, cultural e social entre elas e seus alunos – interpretada como efeito da institucionalização de demandas feministas e LGBTT na sociedade e sua popularização no senso comum –, as participantes manifestam empenho em revisar suas noções aprendidas sobre o que é normal para melhor atender seus estudantes. Por fim, observou-se também discurso contraditório entre as professoras sobre a importância de políticas educacionais que proponham o debate de gênero: declaram considerar necessário o debate e, simultaneamente, parecem subestimar a eficácia de políticas. Por outro lado, em função de reconhecerem a existência de um contexto social que tem progressivamente legitimado pautas feministas e LGBTT, consideram inviáveis legislações que proíbam a discussão desse tipo de temática nas escolas. / This thesis analyzes how female teachers in the Public School System (PSS) of the city of Porto Alegre link their teaching practices to feminisms from a discussion about the conservative narrative of ―gender ideology‖ in schools. From a critical sociology of education perspective, the study uses the concepts of hegemony and ideology to understand social organization. In a reality permeated by disputes for hegemony, in which different ideologies are present in a contradictory and pulverized way in the common sense, this thesis analyzes the phenomenon of the so-called ―gender ideology‖ – a narrative invented by the Vatican in the 1990s as an attempt to interrupt the advances of Gender Studies and the feminist movements. Through a conservative alliance between neoliberals and neoconservatives, this ―antigender‖ and ―antifeminist‖ movement has become popular within the Brazilian educational context. Although a growing debate has been present in the scientific field, this study sought a perspective that is still invisible, that of female teachers. Any changes proposed and introduced to educational laws concern women primarily: they are the absolute majority among Brazilian basic education teachers, and, despite being historically organized and resistant as a category, teaching practices are still (con)formed by a patriarchal and sexist heritage. Two focal groups composed of eight teachers examined the approximations and distances from feminist perspectives within their teaching practices. ―Antigender‖ and ―antifeminist‖ initiatives, such as the movement for ―unpolitical schools‖, were used to trigger the debates. Considering the contradictions present in social dynamics, it was possible to verify reverberations of both conservative and feminist discourses in the participants‘ common sense Inherently contradictory and heterogeneous, common sense is also permeated by elements of ―good sense‖, which may make them identify with ―convincing‖ discourses. Thus, the narrative of the conservative alliance is relatively successful among the teachers, making them identify with the use of gender as a ―biologizing‖ instance and with elements of blame within their work practices. Concern was expressed that, because they were interested in deconstructing stereotypes and problematizing gender/sexual inequalities, teachers could be interfering negatively in the students' identity formation. The participants‘ discourses also evidenced the presence of feminist perspectives in the teaching work of teachers who, in their practices, seek to accept and legitimize existences that differ from the binary and heterosexual norm and to be attentive to the (re)production of inequalities. Although they indicate generational, cultural and social differences between them and their students – interpreted as an effect of the institutionalization of feminist and LGBTT demands on society and its popularization in common sense – the participants show commitment to revise their learned notions about what is normal to better serve their students. Finally, there was also a contradictory discourse among the teachers about the importance of educational policies that propose debates about gender: they declare the debate to be necessary, and at the same time seem to underestimate the effectiveness of policies. On the other hand, recognizing the existence of a social context that has progressively legitimized feminist and LGBTT guidelines, they consider that laws prohibiting the discussion of this subject in schools are unfeasible.