From the Members' Perspective: Participants' Perception of the Moderator Role in Educator Communities of Practice

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Integration of learning and practice as part of the educational system development in Eritrea. "School Management" - a distance learning program by technical university of Kaiserslautern

The distance learning program "School Management" supports decision makers at the school and ministerial levels in the shaping of formal and informal learning processes at different levels in schools and curricula in Eritrea. This paper examines how the distance learning program is interconnected to educational system development. (DIPF/Orig.)

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POINT-OF-VIEW VIDEO MODELING IN TEACHING SOCIAL INITIATION SKILLS TO CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Deficits in social communication and interaction have been identified as distinguishing impairments for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a pivotal skill, the successful development of social communication and interaction in individuals with ASD is a lifelong objective. Point-of-view video modeling has the potential to address these deficits. This type of video involves filming the completion of a targeted skill or behavior from a first-person perspective. By presenting only what a person might see from his or her viewpoint, it has been identified to be more effective in limiting irrelevant stimuli by providing a clear frame of reference to facilitate imitation. The current study investigated the use of point-of-view video modeling in teaching social initiations (e.g., greetings). Using a multiple baseline across participants design, five kindergarten participants were taught social initiations using point-of-view video modeling and video priming. Immediately before and after viewing the entire point-of-view video model, the participants were evaluated on their social initiations with a trained, typically developing peer serving as a communication partner. Specifically, the social initiations involved participants��� abilities to shift their attention toward the peer who entered the classroom, maintain attention toward the peer, and engage in an appropriate social initiation (e.g., hi, hello). Both generalization and maintenance were tested. Overall, the data suggest point-of-view video modeling is an effective intervention for increasing social initiations in young students with ASD. However, retraining was necessary for acquisition of skills in the classroom environment. Generalization in novel environments and with a novel communication partner, and generalization to other social initiation skills was limited. Additionally, maintenance of gained social initiation skills only occurred in the intervention room. Despite the limitations of the study and variable results, there are a number of implications moving forward for both practitioners and future researchers examining point-of-view modeling and its potential impact on the social initiation skills of individuals with ASD.

Princ��pios e fundamentos da pedagogia da altern��ncia: alguns desdobramentos atuais

The Pedagogy of Alternation (PA) is a differentiated teaching methodology, originally created to meet the needs that involve the population of the field. Through its educational procedures, distinct from the traditional education, demand, with autonomy, to form children and young people through the articulation of time and space, and involve the family and community in the educational process and in local development. Having been established as an alternative that generated positive results, the PA has expanded the world and today, with the formation of various movements, is present on five continents. In Brazil, there are two active movements using the PA, the Italian, which afforded the EFAs and the French, responsible for implantation the CFRs. Is in this context, the present research is inserted, which the following objective: to analyse the origins, principles and theoretical-methodological foundations of Pedagogy of Alternation and its implantation in Brazil, as well as some of its current unfolding. With this, it takes into consideration, besides the Brazilian movements, those who influenced its origin, the raised in France and the raised in Italy. The study is characterized as a theoretical, qualitative, bibliographic and documental. The data collection was carried out by searching in the CEPAD/UTFPR database and in the web pages of the institutions involved. After the identification and selection of documents and bibliographies, was realized the qualitative analysis of the data. The results indicate that the Pedagogy of Alternation practiced by the Italian EFAs and the Brazilian CFRs has undergone significant changes over time, keeping only firm the principle alternation of time and space, while the French MFRs and Brazilian EFAs, passed by adaptations, but still solid to principles of PA. The survey also showed that the CFRs in Parana are in a situation of instability about their future, since the links with the government are weakened. Thus, the present study sought to reflect on the meaning and the scope of the PA and its foundations that guarantee the autonomy and strength of this methodology in their places of origin. Therefore, the research presents contributions regarding the elucidation about expansion process of the movements in the three covered countries as well as those faced tensions by each and their transformations in order to highlight the importance of PA for education, comprehensive training of young and to development of the middle.

Minas e mem��rias da Urgeiri��a: contributos da arte para a sensibiliza����o ambiental

O projeto "Minas e Mem��rias da Urgeiri��a" focaliza-se nos contributos da arte enquanto vetor de sensibiliza����o ambiental, entendida como um ve��culo privilegiado para promover comportamentos e atitudes mais sustent��veis, respons��veis e c��vicas, apelando para a mudan��a ou para o refor��o de boas pr��ticas ambientais. O projeto foi implementado no Concelho de Nelas, distrito de Viseu, baseando-se na hist��ria socioambiental das Minas da Urgeiri��a, localizadas na freguesia de Canas de Senhorim. Abarcou um conjunto de atividades de ��ndoles pedag��gico e art��stico, que se interligaram coerentemente, iniciando-se com o semin��rio ���Urgeiri��a: Antes, Agora e Depois?���, seguindo-se a performance ���Escurid��o��� complementada pelos cantares de hinos dos ex-trabalhadores das Minas da Urgeiri��a, culminando na visita �� instala����o art��stica ���Escava����es���. Os resultados est��o ancorados em duas premissas fundamentais: por um lado, os testemunhos reais dos ex-trabalhadores mineiros expressaram a influ��ncia da a����o do homem sobre a natureza de forma descomedida e irrespons��vel, que continua a acarretar consequ��ncias nefastas para o ser humano, e por outro, demonstraram as interven����es a que o local se sujeitou (da explora����o desenfreada de recursos at�� �� progressiva requalifica����o). Para tal, conseguiu-se revitalizar e refor��ar as mem��rias do espa��o (f��sico e mental) e materializ��-las atrav��s da arte como forma de sensibilizar a comunidade local acerca das a����es resultantes da intera����o do homem versus ambiente, sendo encaradas como meio privilegiado de desenvolvimento comunit��rio, gerador de compet��ncias e de mudan��as.

A inclus��o da comunidade cigana: um projeto de sa��de escolar no Concelho do Seixal

A inclus��o da comunidade cigana requer uma postura diferente por parte desta comunidade que passa pela assun����o das normas por que todos os cidad��os portugueses se devem reger, em termos de direitos e deveres, exercendo a sua cidadania plena, de forma ativa e participada. Objetivo: Promover a inclus��o das crian��as ciganas nas escolas do Concelho do Seixal. Metodologia: utilizou-se a metodologia de planeamento em sa��de, recorrendo �� entrevista e grelha de observa����o, como instrumentos de recolha de dados. Resultados: Deficit de conhecimentos sobre cuidados de higiene nas crian��as ciganas; Deficit de conhecimentos sobre cultura cigana pelos professores; Desvaloriza����o da preserva����o dos espa��os comuns do bairro pelas fam��lias ciganas. Conclus��es: Import��ncia da promo����o de h��bitos de higiene pessoal junto das crian��as ciganas, necessidade de forma����o para professores sobre multiculturalidade e cultura cigana e de interven����o articulada e em parceria, no bairro, promovendo a mudan��a de comportamentos para preserva����o dos espa��os comuns; ABSTRACT: The inclusion of the Roma community requires a different attitude on the part of this community that goes by the assumption of standards that all Portuguese citizens should be governed in terms of rights and duties, exercising their full citizenship, active and participatory way. Objective: To promote the inclusion of Roma children in the Municipality of Seixal schools. Methodology used the health planning methodology, using interview and observation grid, such as data collection tools. Results: Deficit of knowledge about hygiene in the Roma children; Deficit of knowledge about Roma culture by teachers; Devaluation of preservation of the common areas of the neighborhood by Roma families. Conclusions: The importance of promoting personal hygiene habits with Roma children, the need for training for teachers on multiculturalism and gypsy culture and coordinated intervention and partnership, in the neighborhood, promoting behavior change to preserving public spaces.

REDUCING TEACHER ATTRITION: THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUILDING PRINCIPALS IN A LARGE URBAN DISTRICT TO SUPPORT TEACHER RETENTION

The high rate of teacher attrition in urban schools is well documented. While this does not seem like a problem in Carter County, this equates to hundreds of teachers that need to be replaced annually. Since school year (SY) 2007-08, Carter County has lost over 7,100 teachers, approximately half of (50.1%) of whom resigned, often going to neighboring, higher-paying jurisdictions as suggested by exit survey data (SY2016-2020 Strategic Plan). Included in this study is a range of practices principals use to retain teachers. While the role of the principal is recognized as a critical element in teacher retention, few studies explore the specific practices principals implement to retain teachers and how they use their time to accomplish this task. Through interviews, observations, document analysis and reflective notes, the study identifies the practices four elementary school principals of high and relatively low attrition schools use to support teacher retention. In doing so, the study uses a qualitative cross-case analysis approach. The researcher examined the following leadership practices of the principal and their impact on teacher retention: (a) providing leadership, (b) supporting new teachers, (c) training and mentoring teaching staff, (d) creating opportunities for collaboration, (d) creating a positive school climate, and (e) promoting teacher autonomy. The following research questions served as a foundational guide for the development and implementation of this study: 1. How do principals prioritize addressing teacher attrition or retention relative to all of their other responsibilities? How do they allocate their time to this challenge? 2. What do principals in schools with low attrition rates do to promote retention that principals in high attrition schools do not? What specific practices or interventions are principals in these two types of schools utilizing to retain teachers? Is there evidence to support their use of the practices? The findings that emerge from the data revealed the various practices principals use to influence and support teachers do not differ between the four schools.

THE ROLE OF RULES, EXAMPLES AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN THE ACQUISITION OF DECLARATIVE AND PROCEDURAL SECOND LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE

The relevance of explicit instruction has been well documented in SLA research. Despite numerous positive findings, however, the issue continues to engage scholars worldwide. One issue that was largely neglected in previous empirical studies - and one that may be crucial for the effectiveness of explicit instruction - is the timing and integration of rules and practice. The present study investigated the extent to which grammar explanation (GE) before practice, grammar explanation during practice, and individual differences impact the acquisition of L2 declarative and procedural knowledge of two grammatical structures in Spanish. In this experiment, 128 English-speaking learners of Spanish were randomly assigned to four experimental treatments and completed comprehension-based task-essential practice for interpreting object-verb (OV) and ser/estar (SER) sentences in Spanish. Results confirmed the predicted importance of timing of GE: participants who received GE during practice were more likely to develop and retain their knowledge successfully. Results further revealed that the various combinations of rules and practice posed differential task demands on the learners and consequently drew on language aptitude and WM to a different extent. Since these correlations between individual differences and learning outcomes were the least observed in the conditions that received GE during practice, we argue that the suitable integration of rules and practice ameliorated task demands, reducing the burden on the learner, and accordingly mitigated the role of participants��� individual differences. Finally, some evidence also showed that the comprehension practice that participants received for the two structures was not sufficient for the formation of solid productive knowledge, but was more effective for the OV than for the SER construction.