Jóvenes y blogs : Construcciones de sentido en torno a la delgadez

La presente investigación indaga los sentidos construidos por jóvenes que producen blogs PRO ANA en castellano, en torno a la delgadez como un estilo de vida a seguir. Desde los estudios de comunicación/cultura, y a partir de una perspectiva y un análisis socioculturales, se realiza un recorrido por diferentes blogs en donde se encuentran modos de comunicarse: ayunos, credos, la determinación de mandamientos y la firma de contratos, entre otras estrategias analizadas para sostener el estilo de vida. Así mismo, se problematiza a partir de le exploración a quién/es están explícitamente dirigidas estas plataformas identitarias. Enmarcados en las condiciones sociales e históricas del mundo que transitan, los jóvenes son foco de discursos que estigmatizan sus prácticas cotidianas. Sus decisiones son puestas en cuestión cuando desean alcanzar la delgadez a través de restringir su alimentación y, a su vez, darlo a conocer en el espacio virtual. La intención de este estudio no fue la de formular una definición, sino comprender procesos de significación y producción de sentido desde una dimensión cultural que dé cuenta de la vida social de jóvenes ubicados material y simbólicamente en el espacio social actual. En la investigación se realiza, además, un posicionamiento conceptual sobre la juventud, el consumo y la relación que se establece entre jóvenes, consumo y cuerpos delgados, así como un recorrido por las investigaciones que han servido de insumo para la problematización de la tesis

La identidad como producto del aprendizaje en la práctica de enseñar matemáticas en profesores de primaria

Esta investigación estudia la identidad como producto del aprendizaje en la práctica situada de enseñar matemáticas de cuatro profesores de primaria en México. Las características de la identidad de “ser profesor de matemáticas” se infieren desde la trayectoria de formación y la práctica de los profesores. Los resultados indican que los profesores construyen y reconstruyen su identidad a partir de su práctica cotidiana lo que supone la negociación de maneras de realizar una práctica en un contexto a partir de tres aspectos: (i) El significado y sentido que los profesores atribuyen a las experiencias que acumulan en su trayectoria de formación, (ii) a la acción mediada con las tareas y los instrumentos que utilizan, y (iii) a la interacción entre el significado y sentido y la acción mediada al gestionar la clase de matemáticas.

Pedagogiken i tiden : Om framväxten av nya undervisningsformer under tidigt 2000-tal – exemplet Kunskapsskolan

The study concerns the new educational activities that emerge within the deregulated school system at the beginning of the 21st century. Which ideas guide the work? How is the activity formed? What does one hope to achieve? The aim of the thesis is to explore these educational practices in one of the larges independent schools in Sweden – Kunskapsskolan. The study was based upon a sociocultural perspective on learning and on twenty situated interviews with seven principals. Tools central for the activity in Kunskapsskolan were used as basis for the interviews. A qualitative analysis has been used; one of the methods for analysis applied is phenomenography. The study shows how the school, with the help of centrally developed tools, organised the teaching and the environments for learning that were implemented in all schools of the company. Individually organised teaching is the foundation for all teaching, where the students are expected to be self-regulated and self-correcting and use the tools provided for their learning. With regards to the students’ learning, the teachers’ role is mainly related to individual tutorial conversations. Thereby the tools intended to create freedom and control for the students, also create problems and obstacles. Students who do not learn to use the tools have difficulties in managing their studies. The new tools also affect the teachers’ work. In comparison with other schools, the teachers are expected to submit to the educational model and a centrally controlled planning. The teaching is centrally planned in subject specific stages or subject integrated courses. Teachers can influence the central planning by working collaboratively in teacher teams but not individually. The main commission of the teachers is to follow the educational model decided by the company. In comparison with the traditional school, both teachers and students are given new roles. When learning is individually organised for the students, the teachers are expected to develop their knowledge collectively. According to the results, both students and teachers have different approaches to the system – they can submit to the system or approach it in a more independent and reflective way.

We are special, just the way we are!Listening to children's voices in an Inclusive Multicultural Environment

The aim of this research is to provide insight into how middle school learners experience an inclusive multicultural learning environment. Increasing diversity is challenging European educational systems, which have the arduous task to foster inclusion of learners with diverse educational needs. In order to explore the participants’ descriptions, a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with six learners was employed. Learners’ positions in the educational scenery are central and unique; they are the main experts on their own situations and therefore precious contributors to educational research. Results have been discussed according to a sociocultural perspective. The analysis of my data suggests that the learners perceive their inclusive environment as beneficial. Moreover, they perceive their cultural diversity as strength, reckon social interaction and teamwork with peers as favorable conditions for learning, feel competent in multicultural communication and believe that respect and acceptance towards others are necessary common values. Some implications of multiculturalism in special education are discussed according to the results of a recent European study, which shows that in all the participating European countries, Sweden included, there is a consistent discrepancy in the proportions of learners with immigrant background within special education. Assessment methods developed for mono-cultural learners appear to be a valid reason why multicultural learners are over-or under-represented in special education. Research also shows that inclusion of diversity in educational environment enables the development of social skills in all learners.

The Effect of Authentic Literacy Experiences as Book Buddies with Hispanic Fourth Graders on Preservice Teachers’ Literacy Content Knowledge and Reading Maturity

From a sociocultural perspective, individuals learn best from contextualized experiences. In preservice teacher education, contextualized experiences include authentic literacy experiences, which include a real reader and writer and replicate real life communication. To be prepared to teach well, preservice teachers need to gain literacy content knowledge and possess reading maturity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of authentic literacy experiences as Book Buddies with Hispanic fourth graders on preservice teachers’ literacy content knowledge and reading maturity. The study was a pretest/posttest design conducted over 12 weeks. Preservice teacher participants, the focus of the study, were elementary education majors taking the third of four required reading courses in non-probabilistic convenience groups, 43 (n = 33 experimental, n = 10 comparison) Elementary Education majors. The Survey of Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge of Teaching and Technology (SPTKTT), specifically designed for preservice teachers majoring in elementary or early childhood education and the Reading Maturity Survey (RMS) were used in this study. Preservice teachers chose either the experimental or comparison group based on the opportunity to earn extra credit points (experimental = 30 points, comparison = 15). After exchanging introductory letters preservice teachers and Hispanic fourth graders each read four books. After reading each book preservice teachers wrote letters to their student asking higher order thinking questions. Preservice teachers received scanned copies of their student’s unedited letters via email which enabled them to see their student’s authentic answers and writing levels. A series of analyses of covariance were used to determine whether there were significant differences in the dependent variables between the experimental and comparison groups. This quasi-experimental study tested two hypotheses. Using the appropriate pretest scores as covariates for adjusting the posttest means of the subcategory Literacy Content Knowledge (LCK), of the SPTKTT and the RMS, the mean adjusted posttest scores from the experimental group and comparison group were compared. No significant differences were found on the LCK dependent variable using the .05 level of significance, which may be due to Type II error caused by the small sample size. Significant differences were found on RMS using the .05 level of significance.

UNDERSTANDING ESSAY RATING AS A SOCIALLY MEDIATED ACTIVITY: THE CASE OF A HIGH-STAKES ENGLISH TEST IN CHINA

Most essay rating research in language assessment has examined human raters’ essay rating as a cognitive process, thus overlooking or oversimplifying the interaction between raters and sociocultural contexts. Given that raters are social beings, their practices have social meanings and consequences. Hence it is important to situate essay rating within its sociocultural context for a more meaningful understanding. Drawing on Engeström’s (1987, 2001) cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) framework with a sociocultural perspective, this study reconceptualized essay rating as a socially mediated activity with both cognitive (individual raters’ goal-directed decision-making actions) and social layers (raters’ collective object-oriented essay rating activity at related settings). In particular, this study explored raters’ essay rating at one provincial rating centre in China within the context of a high-stakes university entrance examination, the National Matriculation English Test (NMET). This study adopted a multiple-method multiple-perspective qualitative case study design. Think-aloud protocols, stimulated recalls, interviews, and documents served as the data sources. This investigation involved 25 participants at two settings (rating centre and high schools), including rating centre directors, team leaders, NMET essay raters who were high school teachers, and school principals and teaching colleagues of these essay raters. Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) open and axial coding techniques, and CHAT for data integration. The findings revealed the interaction between raters and the NMET sociocultural context. Such interaction can be understood through a surface structure (cognitive layer) and a deep structure (social layer) concerning how raters assessed NMET essays, where the surface structure reflected the “what” and the deep structure explained the “how” and “why” in raters’ decision-making. This study highlighted the roles of goals and rules in rater decision-making, rating tensions and raters’ solutions, and the relationship between essay rating and teaching. This study highlights the value of a sociocultural view to essay rating research, demonstrates CHAT as a sociocultural approach to investigate essay rating, and proposes a direction for future washback research on the effect of essay rating. This study also provides support for NMET rating practices that can potentially bring positive washback to English teaching in Chinese high schools.

Skolad blick på blommor : Formandet av yrkeskunnande i floristutbildning

This article-based thesis focuses on the formation of vocational knowing within adult and upper secondary floristry education in Sweden. Three articles explore classroom interaction and assessment actions; a fourth considers changes in vocational subject matter during the period 1990–2015. While the first three articles draw on empirical data in the form of video and audio recordings in combination with participant observation, the fourth is based primarily on material-based interview data. All four articles share a sociocultural perspective on educational practice (Wertsch, 1998; Säljö, 2011, 2013) and a relational view of knowing (e.g., Carlgren, 2015; Molander, 1996), in combination with the use of conversation analysis (Goodwin & Heritage, 1990; Sahlström & Melander, 2010) as a tool to illuminate the formation of vocational knowing. The interaction between teacher, student, and floral arrangement is foregrounded to facilitate analysis of the formation of vocational knowing. The results contribute to our understanding of the schooling of the gaze (Goodwin, 1994; Grasseni, 2009, 2011) as appropriated by participants in the interaction. Floristry vocational knowing is shown to evolve in the temporal dimension, encompassing (a) financial and aesthetic values, (b) verbal and non–verbal communication, (c) botanical material and tools, and (d) making. The respective roles and interrelations of these four components of vocational knowing in floristry are discussed. The contribution of the thesis is twofold. First, these articles contribute to the understanding of vocational education through close appraisal of the formation of vocational knowing. Second, in exploring the previously under-researched field of Swedish floristry vocational education, the thesis bridges a gap in existing knowledge of the evolution of Swedish vocational education. As floristry education is little researched internationally, the thesis also contributes to the wider body of international research. 

Bridging discourses in a writing classroom

The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the writing discourse in one classroom and how students learn through studying a topic, i.e. the teaching and learning of written argument. The study takes its stance from a sociocultural perspective and is influenced by discourse analyses, new literacy studies and critical literacy (Fairclough1989; Barton 2007; Janks 2010; Ivanič 2004). Data from year 6 in Sweden consists of observations, informal conversations, teachers’ planning and students’ written texts, i.e. letters to a newspaper editor. The results are presented in terms of four themes that became apparent during the reading of the data, viz. (1) teaching for learning - deconstruction; (2) dialogue and scaffolding for learning – enabling access; (3) reconstruction, feedback and students’ reflections for learning; and (4) writing to learn. The data is analysed and discussed on the basis of four concepts for developing critical literacy, viz. access, deconstruction, reconstruction and domination (cf. Janks 2010:21 – 32). The study indicates that explicit teaching of a written argument gives students access to the dominating structure of the genre if they are given the time and tools to reflect and be given feedback from the teacher.

UNDERSTANDING ESSAY RATING AS A SOCIALLY MEDIATED ACTIVITY: THE CASE OF A HIGH-STAKES ENGLISH TEST IN CHINA

Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-22 22:05:24.246

Sociocultural research on mathematics education : an international perspective

This volume--the first to bring together research on sociocultural aspects of mathematics education--presents contemporary and international perspectives on social justice and equity issues that impact mathematics education. In particular, it highlights the importance of three interacting and powerful factors--gender, social, and cultural dimensions. Sociocultural Research on Mathematics Education: An International Perspective is distinguished in several ways:

* It is research based. Chapters report on significant research projects; present a comprehensive and critical summary of the research findings; and offer a critical discussion of research methods and theoretical perspectives undertaken in the area.
* It is future oriented, presenting recommendations for practice and policy and identifying areas for further research.
* It deals with all aspects of formal and informal mathematics education and applications and all levels of formal schooling.

As the context of mathematics education rapidly changes-- with an increased demand for mathematically literate citizenship; an increased awareness of issues of equity, inclusivity, and accountability; and increased efforts for globalization of curriculum development and research-- questions are being raised more than ever before about the problems of teaching and learning mathematics from a non-cognitive science perspective. This book contributes significantly to addressing such issues and answering such questions. It is especially relevant for researchers, graduate students, and policymakers in the field of mathematics education.

Adult rape scripting within a victimological perspective

This review of the adult rape experience draws from theoretical conceptualizations in both psychology and victimology. It is an integrative discussion of Lerner's [Lerner, M.J. (1980). The Belief In A Just World. New York: Plenum] victimological theory of the “just world” and Gagnon and Simon's [Gagnon, J.H., & Simon, W. (1973). Sexual Conduct: The Sources of Human Sexuality. Chicago: Aldine] conceptualization of cognitive sex scripting. The “just world” is one in which an individual gets what he/she deserves. People will construe events and interpret the character of people to maintain this ideology. As theorized by Perloff [Perloff, L.S. (1983). Perceptions of vulnerability to victimisation. J Soc Issues 39, 41–61], this promotes a feeling of “unique invulnerability” in the absence of victimization. However, should victimization, such as rape, occur, this ideology can implicate detrimental effects of adjustment. This includes the “secondary victimization” from others, as theorized by Williams [Williams, J.E. (1984). Secondary victimisation: confronting public attitudes about rape. Victimol Int J 9, 66–81]. These victimological perspectives are cognitive scripts. They develop over time from exposure to family dynamics, sociocultural tenets describing gender roles and sexual conduct, and from an individual's parameters and dimensions of sexual individuality and disposition. How these victimological scripts may impact on the adjustment of adult raped men and women is discussed.

Problems of psychological and sociocultural adaptation among Russian speaking immigrants in New Zealand

The problems immigrants experience during the process of their psychological and sociocultural adaptation to the host culture have far-reaching effects in terms of mental health, employment and lost benefits for the whole society. General models of the acculturation process (Ward 1996) and acculturation strategies (Berry 2001) provide a basis for the analysis of those problems. The current study employed a qualitative, case-oriented design, based on the grounded theory method to analyse interviews with six Russian-speaking immigrants in New Zealand. The purpose of the study was to investigate, from a psychological perspective, the problems in adaptation as a result of migration and resettlement, and the factors that influence this process. Two distinct patterns were revealed, linked to acculturation strategies of integration and separation. All the participants experienced high levels of psychological distress in the initial stage of their resettlement, but those who later chose the integration strategy of acculturation were more successful and satisfied with their adaptation than those who chose the strategy of separation. Factors contributing to the process of adaptation were migration motivation, proportion of perceived gains and losses, and cultural identity. This study has implications for social policies in the areas of employment, education and mental health.

A dimensão sociocultural da reforma psiquiátrica: articulando redes para a consolidação da estratégia de atenção psicossocial

This thesis aims to discuss on articulations that have been produced on the socio-cultural field in the Psychiatric Reform process and its pertinence to the streghtening of Psychosocial Care Strategy (EAPS) in Fortaleza/CE. Such interest has been justified by the need to promote not only the production of these networks, but also interfaces to enable strategies of support and sociability from the perspective of deinstitutionalization of madness. We were inspired by the cartography perspective of Deleuze e Guattari, and determined as objectives: 1) to discuss the complexity of Psychiatric Reform process and analyze the EAPS as a model for the current Mental Health policy in the country; 2) to map socio-cultural strategies connected to the CAPS network in the city, investigating experiences that already exist or may be constituted as everyday social support networks; 3) from that mapping to start, define and discuss some aspects that converge to the accomplishment for this new mental health paradigm, drawing a cartography of the issues and movements in progress. The mapping was carried out in 2009 and consisted of semi-structured interviews with the coordinators of the 14 existent CAPS and with some people connected to the Coordination of Mental Health. Besides, during the whole development of the study, we have taken part in public events that brought us clues on the connection between mental health and culture. From the survey produced, we defined three vectors for discussion (Art, Labour and Partnership with Social Movements) which have been highlighted as effective possibilities of intervention in the socio-cultural field of Psychiatric Reform in Fortaleza and reveal important paths on the fulfillment process of a new pattern of care. For each of these axes, we chose a field of empirical research (Projeto Arte e Saúde, COOPCAPS e MSMCBJ) in which we could better understand their strengths and difficulties, starting from open interviews with some of their actors and the production of a diary of sensations in 2010. We have seen that they are articulated with the proposal of EAPS, being part of the concerns to the National Mental Health Policy and also the municipal administration. However, we have noticed to be necessary to promote those dimensions further, focusing on its complexity at the macro and micro policies, with the purpose of leading the Psychiatric Reform process

A formação docente numa perspectiva sociocultural e interventiva para além dos muros da escola: busca de novas práticas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O uso das tecnologias no cotidiano, na educação e no ensino musical sob uma perspectiva educacional e sociocultural

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)