17 results on '"Brock, Colin"'
Search Results
2. Comparative perspectives on initial primary teacher education and training in England and Pakistan
- Author
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Ahmed, Mah-E-Rukh and Brock, Colin
- Subjects
370.711 ,Education - Abstract
This study explored the extent to which initial teacher education and training programmes provide an adequate preparation for the needs of the primary school teachers in England and Pakistan. An integral part of this exploration was the identification of particular aspects of ITE programmes which had a significant impact in enhancing the professional development of teachers, the effectiveness of the ITE programmes and then overall quality. The second notable feature is that this study is a comparative one. The researcher chose two countries where initial teacher training programmes were being implemented, albeit in different ways. England and Pakistan are two contrasting countries from different global regions and having different cultural and social contexts. This is not a problem for comparison because the issue is whether they provide an adequate and enriching professional preparation for beginning teachers in their respective contexts. The study also aims to explore how far the English experience has potential for development and improvement in the Pakistani initial primary teacher education programme. The issue was examined in detail in different teacher education institutions located in England and Pakistan. For this purpose the researcher used Bereday�s comparative methodology to investigate the juxtaposition of these two initial teacher education programmes. The researcher hopes thereby to add to the stock of theory through the use of a cross-national study. The study indicated to what extent the beginning teachers were adequately prepared for the demands of work and the responsibilities expected of them as perceived by the profession and other stakeholders. A number of factors were found to contribute to the perceived adequacy of the professional preparation of student teachers. An enriching curriculum together with availability and quality of physical facilities and educational resources contributed to this situation. At the same time, the support from the principal stakeholders in terms of funding and staff professional development was also cited as impacting upon the quality of pre-service teacher education provided to the beginning teachers in England and Pakistan. The aim of this research was to investigate initial teacher education in Pakistan and England to gain insights into two initial teacher education systems with a view to improving initial teacher education in Pakistan. To achieve this aim, a cross-cultural study using a multi-method approach was adopted. This research revealed how questionable it can be to merely state what the similarities and differences really are between two initial teacher education systems. Nonetheless, it did identify some important differences as between the two initial teacher education systems, namely in terms of: - cultural differences affecting initial teacher�s attitude and values; - differences in governmental vision, political will, and government policies and institutional provision; - teacher education curricula, policies and delivery; - traditional and economic disparities; and theoretical underpinning. Having conducting this research, it is the view of the writer that it is possible for Pakistan to gain from certain aspects of the experience in England, especially in administration and quality control.
- Published
- 2008
3. Education in transition : from policy to practice in post-Apartheid South Africa, 1994-1999
- Author
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Borien, Keith Michael and Brock, Colin
- Subjects
379.68065 ,Education and state ,Educational change ,South Africa ,Eastern Cape - Abstract
The purpose of this research is to try to understand why educational restructuring since 1994 appears to have failed to achieve the government's stated objectives of development, equity, participation and redress for large sections of South African society. As the educational inequalities of the past appear to prevail beyond the arrival of the first democratic government, the hypothesis that little has fundamentally changed is explored. Although the study is firmly focussed on the period between 1994 and 1999, the legacy of the apartheid years is also examined to ensure that the research is firmly rooted in its historical context. The key area for analysis within a qualitative paradigm is the dynamic which exists between central government and its key role in planning educational reform and in policy formulation, and the provincial administrations, in whom the major responsibility for policy implementation and for effecting change on the ground, is vested. Local realities, dynamics, and constraints on the ground are explored in some depth in one of South Africa's nine provinces: the Eastern Cape. Access to the Eastern Cape's Department of Education and Culture was successfully negotiated in October 1997. As a consequence a total of 40 interviews were held with a mix of previous Ministers of Education and Culture, retired and serving Senior Civil Servants, ex members of two transitional provincial bodies, senior representatives of the main teacher unions and non-governmental organisations, school principals and school teachers. The data collected as part of this study was analysed using the grounded theory approach. The analysis indicates that educational change in the Eastern Cape will not come quickly, and that for many who were previously disadvantaged under the apartheid system little has fundamentally changed in the first five years of the new democratic South Africa.
- Published
- 2004
4. Education, gender and cross-cultural experience with reference to elite Arab women
- Author
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Kirdar, Serra and Brock, Colin
- Subjects
305.8927082 ,Elite (Social sciences) ,Muslim women ,Education ,Women ,Social conditions ,Arab countries - Abstract
The core of the thesis investigates the role of education in the engendering of cultural change and leadership among a select group of a powerful 'first generation' of Arab women; specifically, the role of dual educational/cultural experiences, both Arab and Western. The broader aim of the study is to analyze the merging of cultural traditionalism and modernity and how dual education has enhanced the ability of women, especially Arab women, to become leaders in their professional careers, and within their respective communities, whilst still maintaining strong ties to their culture, religion and traditions, albeit to varying degrees. The writer has chosen to investigate the association between cultural identity and educational experience of elite educated Arab women, through a small sample, who have had exposure to both Western and Arab educational systems at different points in their lives. The researcher's heritage has led to a fundamental ideological interest in the coexistence of traditionalism and modernisation and whether the two can complement one another. There are now a significant number of Arab women who have had the privilege of education and exposure to the two types of systems. Yet, gender constraints and predefined gender roles still very much dictate the socio-cultural contexts in which such women have to operate. The patriarchal 'system' is omnipresent in the West as well as in the Arab world. The challenges the writer has faced even as a 'Western' Arab to reconcile tradition and intellectual and educational exposure has served as a greater impetus for this investigation. The investigation and the intent of this thesis as described above, is to test the preliminary hypothesis that, in the context of elite Arab women, their exposure to both West and Arab educational cultures is germane to their potential for influencing female professional development. How their educational experiences have influenced their own identities and their ability to adhere to the gender roles prescribed is of significant interest. What influence has such education had on these women's prospects for instituting and pioneering change in their respective societies and professions? Is the synergy of certain aspects of modernity and tradition possible? The general conclusion is that it is.
- Published
- 2004
5. An examination of policy and practice in Ghanaian education, with special reference to the junior secondary school reform
- Author
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Osei, George M. and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education and state ,Education, Secondary ,Educational change ,Junior high schools ,Ghana - Abstract
The decision to undertake this research was a pragmatic response to the debates which followed the introduction of a new innovative secondary education system in Ghana. This paper will investigate the said innovation during its formation since 1974, inception from 1987 and, in respect of field research, aspects of its operation from 1998 to 2000. The innovation was designed as a complex package offering an integrated approach to change educational values, orientation and learning outcomes. The changes subsumed in each aspect of the innovation have far-reaching implications for the entire education system. One element, the vocationalised curriculum, caused immediate concern at the time of implementation because of pre-existing evidence of similar attempts made previously in Ghana and other countries which yielded unsatisfactory results. This concern was increased by the complexity of subsequent changes in the examination system and in the new structure of Junior Secondary Schooling (JSS). Furthermore, there were mixed opinions regarding a new emphasis on the individual learner as the focus of school activities augmented by the introduction of guidance and counselling. The primary aim of the research was to monitor the implementation processes in as many aspects as possible. This was done in order to see what benefits might be gained, and what lessons in order to continue the innovation. In order to conduct this assessment it was necessary to examine critically the characteristics of each element of the reform and their implications, using a variety of research methods to generate relevant data. This approach yielded a substantial amount of original evidence on the dynamics of educational change. While this evaluation specifically helps to deepen understanding of the said innovation, it also makes a contribution to the literature on educational innovation in developing countries. The particular theoretical framework used to direct analysis of the processes is derived from the IAC evaluation model developed by Havelock and Huberman (1977) and is used in their study of educational innovations in the developing countries. The theory proposes that a large and complex problem requires a sophisticated level of competency to handle it. An innovative situation requires an efficient system in order to muster the relevant level of IAC factors as were required. This paper explores and extends the IAC model by incorporating the new research regarding the Ghanaian educational innovation. In this new dimension, the Ghanaian model has tended to display far more interactive and cohesive characteristics than in the original Havelock and Huberman study, thus making the measure for success relatively more complex. There is overwhelming evidence to show that by the end of its second cycle in December 1999, none of the JSS innovation components had been in any way implemented. In all respects, the level of systemic competency was far below what was demanded by the innovation. When placed in the framework of the IAC theoretical model, analysis of the conclusive empirical findings provides key recommendations for future innovative educational projects. Crucial coordinating factors must be considered and necessarily established to ensure that strategies are put in place which strengthen the infrastructure. This coordinating initiative should encompass internal and external logistics coordination for resource persons and materials, while simultaneously linking the organizational management of the project with key administrative, political, and social interest groups.
- Published
- 2001
6. Marching onwards : the social practices of literacy in Usulutan, El Salvador
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Betts, Julia, Childs, Ann, and Brock, Colin
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379.7284 ,Literacy ,El Salvador - Abstract
1990 was International Literacy Year. A decade later, both our essential understandings of what 'literacy' means and our approaches to literacy have developed immensely. We now know that literacy is situated and multiple, complex and ideological; it is no singular, autonomous entity but an intricate mosaic of practices. It is part of the rich and varied social tapestry that is fashioned through the playing out of lives. This text explores some of the social practices of literacy in rural communities of Usulutan, El Salvador. It aims to form part of the New Literacies body of work, by taking an ethnographic / ideological approach to the study of literacy. Its main substantive foci are firstly, the uses of 'local' literacies as they relate to the socio-political and cultural environment of rural Usulutan, and secondly, the ways in which existing and imported discourses are taken up and used by people in Usulutan according to their own determined agendas, conceptualisations and visions. The study seeks to reveal the diversity and dissonance within local ideologies and literacy practices that seem often to lie hidden in research. It takes as its theoretical framework Bakhtin's noticon of discourse, to explore the meanings which are created when dominant and subordincated discursive streams meet and challenge one another. Experience in Usulutan has revealed that 'literacy' here is a totemic creation of discourses, an invention of ideology, actualised through its continuing iteration by dominant voices. This discourse of power is critiqued by the voices of adults in the rural communities of Usulutan, who engage with literacy as part of their creative strategies in negotiating struggles for resources and positioning within relationships. It forms a dynamic part of the imaginative and ingenious management of lives. This study has found that labels such as 'literate' and 'illiterate' cannot capture the extensive range of practices which are ongoing as people act out their own cultural texts within the complex and ever-changing social world of Usulutan. It contests autonomous notions of literacy as a site of deficit or deprivation, and challenges oversimplified views of literacy as 'empowerment'. Instead, it constructs a vision of local literacies in Usulutan as performances, as part of an original and inventive process of reshaping the social fabric and challenging subordination. Literacies form in this arena a site for the recreation of history and the construction of identity; they are not only reflective of social process but a powerful force for 'marching onwards'. The experiences in whcih this text is grounded have revealed that the struggle for voice int his corner of the world is no polarized conflict of 'oppression', no binary battle of wills, but rather a reflection of the fluid and shifting boundaries of language. Dominant and subordinated streams of discourse meet, reshape and co-construct each other ont he vast, uncertain plain of dialogue; Bakhtin's 'living and unrepeatable' play of language and light. It is here, at the moment of discursive encounter, and in the surrounding intricacies of social practices, that hte most powerful and meaningful of Geertz's webs of human significance are spun.
- Published
- 2000
7. A study of the formal education of girls and women in Nigeria and the socio-cultural changes arising from the introduction of western-type education, with special reference to the secondary phase of education in Imo State
- Author
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Uzoigwe, Felicia N. A., Brock, Colin, and Brookes, Kenneth
- Subjects
370.9 ,Education - Abstract
The introduction of formal education in Nigeria can be traced back to 1842. It is hard to accept that since then no detailed research has been carried out, in order to monitor the progress of girls and women, because of the fact that Nigeria's social structure is deeply rooted in patriarchalism. Moreover, the History of Education in Nigeria (Fafunwa, 1974), does indicate quite vividly that in the early years, girls and women were denied formal education; and even when they were allowed to go to school, obstacles (including child marriage and domestic chores), were deliberately placed in their way. There is little doubt that in a male dominated society, the role of the female members can at best be subordinate and at worst invisible. This is because in such a society, male dominance is inevitable. This is partly why within the Nigerian educational context, girls' and women's progress in the various stages should be constantly checked and reappraised through educational studies and research. The early stages, (primary and secondary), are crucially important. The secondary sector for example does affect to a large extent what an individual can or cannot do in the future by way of career. The need for progress in the early phases cannot therefore be over emphasised. The revelation, (especially in the History of Education in Nigeria), about the existence of obstacles to female education in the early years of school education should have prompted educational research, which would among other things show whether the barriers are still there and whether they affect all stages of education with equal gravity. Such studies can also reveal various types of obstacles and highlight regional variations within the Nigerian society. For instance, it will be possible to investigate whether: a. there are more female educational barriers among the Christian communities than the Islamic ones. b. whether rural girls and women face additional barriers compared with their counterparts in the urban areas. c. the studies can also show to some extent how Nigerian girls and women are faring in educational terms as opposed to their counterparts in the other developing nations and even in the developed counties - by comparing research findings. This is important because from the roles which girls and women are playing in various parts of the world, an assessment can be made, in order to establish whether or not their Nigerian counterparts are lagging behind, and if that is the case - then the best way of addressing the problem will need to be sought.
- Published
- 1997
8. The United Arab Emirates and its education: selected themes and issues with reference to the 'small country' context
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Biggs, Michael Ivor, Brock, Colin, and Spence, Brian Vincent
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370 ,Education & training - Published
- 1995
9. A comparative study of the secondary school curriculum in England and Wales and the Republic of Cameroon : issues of breadth, balance and relevance
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Abangma, Patience and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education - Abstract
The question of breadth, balance and relevance of curriculum as a major concern of educational issues today, has provoked the investigation of their existence within the secondary school curriculum in England and Wales and in Cameroon. Arguments invoking the concept of subject-mindedness and integration in favour of specialisation or of breadth, are considered to be incomplete. Alternatively, arguments in favour of breadth, balance and relevance based on consideration of intrinsic and instrumental values of curriculum activities are considered. But some of the claims made on instrumental grounds for the importance of certain subjects as elements in the curriculum are be questionable. Like all other concepts, that of breadth, balance and relevance have been placed in the study within a certain context to bring out their meaning. In this thesis, the concepts are discussed in relation to the secondary school curriculum in both countries under study. This therefore led to a re-examination of the educational systems and curricula in both countries, and some curricula models with a view to answering our research question which is: "To what extent does the secondary school curriculum in England and Wales and in Cameroon reflect the principles of breadth, balance and relevance?". For the purpose of this thesis, breadth has been related to the range of activities within the school and pupils response; balance in terms of the different values which the curriculum attaches to the various activities and the extent to which these activities are related to minimum teacher competence; while relevance is related to meaningful activities, satisfying needs of the child and values in the community and constantly evaluated to determine the extent to which it has achieved its goals. The relativity of these concepts makes it necessary to find an organising conceptual framework within which these concepts can be made more practical. After much scanning through curricula models, and the purpose for which they are developed, it emerged from the study that Lawton's cultural analysis model which incorporates elements of Barnes (1976) view of objectives, values and experience of both pupils and teacher could be a much more practical model. An important aspect of a broad, balance and relevant curriculum is the ordering of priorities which on the one hand will depend on socio-economic and cultural context in which the curriculum is to operate and on the other hand, the perception of the whole notion of a curriculum. An analysis of the literature and empirical findings from England and Wales has revealed that, their priority of socio-economic and cultural values are enhanced as a result of a much broader notion of the curriculum which is not only limited to traditional subjects taken at the examination. In which case, according priority to literacy, communication skills, personality and development skills, and attitudes related to the concepts of every day life which gives opportunities for pupils to excel and gain positions of high status in society. In contrast, the literature and findings from Cameroon have revealed that though socio-economic and cultural values are claimed to be a priority, the narrow interpretation of the concept of curriculum which limits it only to traditional subjects at the examination may fulfil the principles of breadth and balance but not relevance. Consequently, a much broader notion of a curriculum will enable the principles of breadth, balance and relevance to be more practical. In this light, a curriculum tailored to the Cameroonian context, must therefore attempt to broaden the scope and perception of curricula and education offered in schools.
- Published
- 1992
10. Developments in the Jordanian system of education with special reference to in-service education and training of teachers
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Halawani, Mohammad Hani and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education - Abstract
The research leading to this thesis fills a gap in the examination and literature of the Jordanian education system. It has been undertaken for that purpose, and also in coincidence with recent major reforms of education in Jordan.Before moving into an empirical study of certain aspects of the in-service education and training of teachers, the writer examines a number of important contextual and analytical areas relating to the field in question. So, after setting out the problem in question, there is an extensive but selective review of relevant literature. This includes documentation from a wide variety of national origins and hopes to provide a theoretical basis for the original fieldwork undertaken in Jordan and reported in later chapters.Clearly, as elsewhere, the socio-economic context of education in Jordan is important to understand, and especially so in a country with few natural resources and a consequent heightened significance for the quality of its human resources. Likewise, the historical development of the total system of education within which the teacher education sector resides has to be analysed and discussed. This forms Chapter Four. After this, the sector in question is examined in some detail.The sixth chapter comprises a discussion of the design and methodology of the empirical dimension of the thesis, dealing with such aspects as validity, reliability, sampling and other technical matters. This is followed by two chapters of empirical results, their presentation and analysis. This part of the thesis derives from field visits made to Jordan by the writer and is central to the research. The design and analysis were carried out with the supervision and advice of the Computer Centre.
- Published
- 1990
11. Pre-service teacher-training in Iraq and England, with special reference to the use of educational media - a comparative study
- Author
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Ridha, Kadhum Kreem and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education - Abstract
This study is an attempt to examine some aspects of primary and secondary initial teacher-training in England and Iraq, with Special reference to the use of educational media in educational institutions. There is no doubt that good teachers are skilled in the effective use of educational media, which play a great role in improving any educational system. The study, which comprises ten chapters, is divided into two main parts. Chapters One, Two, Three, Four and Five make up Part One, which is contextual. Chapter One provides general background, including statement of the problem, the need of educational media, the aims of the study, the limitations and the definition of selected terms. Chapter Two reviews selected literature from England and Iraq, and discusses some aspects of educational media in selected countries. Chapters Three and Four present an historical overview of initial teacher training in England and Iraq. Chapter Five, which concludes Part One, is concerned with the development of educational media in general, but particularly in England and Iraq. The five chapters of Part Two are concerned with the empirical dimension of the study. The research methodology is presented in Chapter Six, while the results of questionnaire surveys conducted in England and Iraq are presented in Chapters Seven and Eight. Chapter Nine compares the results of the questionnaire surveys between the two countries. Finally, Chapter Ten presents conclusions and recommendations drawn from the documentary evidence and empirical findings. Three questionnaires were designed and developed; one for tutors in teacher-training institutions; one for student-teachers, and the third for practising teachers. The Iraqi questionnaires were presented and answered in Arabic.
- Published
- 1990
12. The development of teacher education in the Caribbean, with special reference to Antigua, Grenada and the United States Virgin Islands
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Wright, John Alexander and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education ,Political science ,Public administration ,History - Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to try to examine teacher education in certain Caribbean states through both field and documentary research and the use of case studies. The general history of the development of this sector in the Caribbean is broadly known, but only detailed local work can illuminate the general through the particular.But the aims of this study are not primarilly historical. Fundamental issues within the education and training of teachers are considered and the views of many practitioners and trainees have been gained. It is hoped that the stock of information has been enhanced and that others will care to examine some of the outcomes of the research.With these aims in mind, the structure plan of the thesis moves from the general examination of teacher education to a series of case studies, and back to comparative comment and recommendations for development. The core of the study is the succession of chapters on Grenada, Antigua and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are many points of similarity and contrast to be gained from the comparative approach, and an attempt is made to carry through such an objective. Various factors are brought under scrutiny, in addition to the historical, for example: social, economic, geographical and political. The different colonial experiences also provide interesting points for consideration by way of explaining some of the features encountered.Having compiled and compared the idiosyncratic patterns of the three case studies, the writer attempts to bring the discussion back into the realm of educational theory and practice in a more universal sense.Numerous appendices are provided for reference, as indicated within the main text, and a selected bibliography concludes the thesis. This contains only the more significant published sources used by the writer and as a matter of policy does not repeat all of the references placed already at the end of the various chapters.Finally, it is hoped that this study will make a contribution not only to the field of teacher education in international perspective, but also to the emerging literature on the study of educational provision in small states.
- Published
- 1989
13. Pre-school education in comparative perspective with special reference to England and Libya
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Ghafir, Fathia Ali and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education - Abstract
There is a great demand for pre-school education in most countries of the world, but while pre-school education has long received only modest consideration within the educationally developed world, it has attracted even less consideration than other levels of schooling especially in the developing countries. There is still a danger that early childhood education may continue to be viewed as something of a luxury. Nonetheless, the past few decades have witnessed much greater interest in pre-school education. Among the reasons for this growing interest are the new knowledge gained in the sphere of child development and the changes which have taken place in social conditions. Most countries provide some kind of educational opportunities for children below school age, their aims and objectives may differ to a greater or lesser extent from one country to another depending on resources and specific historical, social or religious influences on the way pre-school education has developed, and the way in which different cultures come to view the main aims and objectives of such education. This thesis is based on a combination of empirical and documentary research. Historically, pre-school education seems to have served similar functions despite difference in time and culture. For that reason Libya as a developing country should learn from the mistakes of a developed country as England, as well as from such of her insights as are perhaps capable of being transplanted successfully in Libya. It was thought that a comparative study of views of preschool teachers in two countries with different political, economic, social and ideological systems, would illuminate some current concerns in the field of pre-school education. This study is designed to arrive at criteria development of pre-school education in general and its teacher training dimension in particular, as an essential background for an improvement in the quality of pre-school education in Libya. The findings of the research revealed that there are major problems in pre-school education in Libya centred around diffused aims, centralised administration, a subject centred curriculum, and teacher-centred methods. Low qualifications among teachers following a mediocre calibre of intake, tutors without professional training, lack of guidance services, the overlooked curriculum, much traditional teaching methods and final examinations demanding all combined to render the task of the few keenly interested in developing a Libyan pre-school sector particularly difficult. The over-arching conclusion of this study is that fundamental changes should be introduced throughout Libyan education, and that this in itself requires the development of a pre-school sector. Because the relationship between pre-school education and other levels of education is organic - any change in one part will be reflected on the other parts. The study is divided into three parts. Part A is the context, and consists of three chapters: Chapter 1 gives a brief account of the significance and purpose of this particular study, the scope of the problem, the aims and the methods to be used - both documentary and empirical. Chapters 2 and 3 review the situation of pre-school education in Western Europe and Arabic countries respectively. Part B is the Libyan Dimension: it consists also of three chapters. Chapter 4 traces the development of education in Libya through the various periods of Libya's history. Chapter 5 traces the development of pre-school education in Libya, the influence of the different communities who were settled in the area before Independence on pre-school education. Chapter 6 provides a description and analysis of teacher training and its relationship with pre-school education. Part C is the English Dimension. There are two chapters. Chapter 7 reviews the development of pre-school education from the nineteenth century, including the ideas of leading European reformers and traces the development of nursery education up to the present time. Chapter 8 is concerned with teacher training programmes for teachers and nursery nurses in England and Wales. The final section, Part D, comprises three chapters. Chapter 9 gives a brief description of the two cities where the field studies were conducted, Hull in England and Derna in Libya. It also provides a detailed description of the research design and application in England and Libya. Chapter 11, the final chapter, concerns itself with summarising the study, and also looking towards improvements through a number of recommendations from the author. It is hoped that the thesis will be a valuable document in retrospect, especially to those keen to develop pre-school facilities there.
- Published
- 1987
14. A comparative study of selected aspects of in-service education as between Nigeria and England and Wales
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Tekenah, Victoria Abba and Brock, Colin
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370 ,Education - Abstract
This piece of work is concerned with an examination of some selected innovations of in-service education and training available to teachers in England and Wales and how this compares with Nigeria, with special reference to their potential application in the Rivers State. The four selected aspects of in-service for this study are: a) the school-focused idea; b) the induction year; c) the professional tutor/centre concept; d) the teachers' centre movement. Prior to this, the investigator carried out an opinion seeking survey of teachers and educationists in the Rivers State to ascertain their attitudes towards the introduction of such practices in their schools. This formed the basis of the detailed investigation of four teachers' centres and three secondary comprehensive schools in Humberside and North Yorkshire Local Education Authorities. The main body of the work is divided into four parts comprising of ten chapters and a conclusion. Part A is concerned with the definition and scope of study with a review of the literature. Part B examines the structure of in-service education in England and Wales and Nigeria. The design and method of empirical research with the presentation, analysis and interpretation of results and a comparison between the documentary evidence and empirical findings constitutes Part C. Part D is concerned with recommendations arising from the research especially in respect of the possibility of introducing the selected INSET innovations in the Rivers State of Nigeria. A summary of the study would be that a great majority of the educationists in Rivers State are in favour of introducing these aspects of INSET into their schools, while the results of the case studies from England and Wales show that most teachers who are engaged in school-focused INSET and attend teachers' centre courses believe the experience to have been beneficial to them by improving their professional competence. Professional tutors and probationers also see the introduction of the professional tutor and arrangements for the induction year as invaluable sources of in-service education. Chief Advisers of in-service education and wardens of teachers' centres in Humberside and North Yorkshire also share similar views. Certain recommendations and their implications as regards the adoption, part adoption or even rejection of these practices are made by the researcher in the conclusion.
- Published
- 1987
15. Distance education in international perspective : the British Open University and prospects for establishing an Egyptian equivalent
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Bakr, Abdel-Gawad and Brock, Colin
- Subjects
370 ,Education - Abstract
This study is concerned with the scope of distance education and tries to provide a framework for the establishment of an Egyptian Open University in the light of the Open University of the United Kingdom. The scope of distance education dealt with, represents the historical background and the literature related to it. Some special attention is paid to the economic aspects of distance teaching, and a survey of international perspectives on distance higher education. These sections are in the form of a descriptive analysis, and provide background and context for the Egyptian decision-makers for purposes of comparison and support. The British Open University system is then selected for study due to the fact that it is the most remarkable innovation in this field, and is respected in many countries. It is because of this that the empirical section of the study, undertaken in Egypt, is based on the British Open University system. This way, the possibilities of applying a similar system for Egyptian higher and continuing education can be judged. Questionnaires were devised by the writer and administered to the academic staff at 11 Egyptian Universities, directors of radio and television educational broadcasts, and the National Council for Research and Technology have been examined to see the extent to which the UKOU model is acceptable and applicable in Egypt. The outcome proved to be positive. Some clear conclusions derived from this positive outcome. For instance, with respect to the proposed Egyptian Open University, the results of the questionnaire show that undergraduate and associate students courses should be the only programmes in the first phase of its establishment; General Secondary School Certificate holders and their equivalents should be admitted; admission policy should not consider the total marks in G.S.S.C. examination; teaching staff appointments should be on the basis of excellent academic experience, and ability in designing courses on a distance teaching basis with evidence of written materials and books; Course texts should be distributed with other printed materials by the local study centres after receiving them from the proposed University H.Q. - to avoid some disadvantages of the mail delivery; the course team approach is favoured as its functioning at the UKOU shows it to be a suitable approach for preparing courses and materials; the Radio and Television role in teaching must be central to the new institution but some organising operations, especially the times of broadcasting and the role of the third channel at the Egyptian Television, need to be carefully rephased so as to cover all the locations of Egypt; Tanta City should be selected to be the H.Q. as it is located in the middle of the Nile Delta; public finance is the best way of supporting the proposed university, though some support could be given either by central government or locally. Finally it could be said that the international evidence of widespread distance education experience and development at a tertiary level justifies the idea of the establishment of an Egyptian Open University, and that much of the structure and operation of the British Open University would be a desirable and applicable model.
- Published
- 1987
16. Boarding secondary education in the eastern states of Nigeria : influences, characteristics and problems
- Author
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Enyong, Sammy Chris Taku-Nchung and Brock, Colin
- Subjects
370 ,Education - Abstract
The issue of boarding education at secondary level has been one of controversy in Nigeria at least throughout the period since Independence. From 1960 onwards the various authorities charged with the provision of secondary schooling have had to relate the educational legacies of colonialism, including the English boarding school model, to the needs and demands of a newly emerging and economically diversifying country. This thesis is therefore concerned inter alia to identify the influences, characteristics and problems of secondary boarding schools in Nigeria, and especially in the Eastern States of that country. It attempts first to identify significant formative influences through an historical/documentary study, and then to ascertain empirically contemporary attitudes and perceptions of the various parties to the provision and operation of such schools today. In so doing, aspects such as organisation, administration, management, discipline, values, routine, facilities and infrastructure are described and discussed. The thesis has twelve chapters, organised in three parts: Part A comprises six chapters dealing with the identification of the problem and contributing factors. Chapters One and Two outline the environmental and educational context. Chapter Three illustrates the history and nature of the problem, whilst Chapter Four provides an explanation of the research context. Chapter Five reviews some previous research on boarding and Chapter Six is a consideration of the nature and development of the most influential model, the English Public School. Part B, the development and nature of boarding in the study area deals mainly with aspects of the history and character of boarding schools in Nigeria and especially in the Eastern States. So Chapter Seven is concerned with the long period up to and including the Nigerian civil war, which ended in 1970. Chapter Eight reviews the post-war situation which is given a more detailed focus by Chapter Nine, an account of a preliminary field survey carried out by the writer in 1981.Part C of the thesis is concerned with the current attitudes of the various parties as ascertained by the writer's main empirical exercise, that is to say staff, students and parents. Chapter Ten describes the empirical methods selected and used, and is followed by Chapter Eleven which is a detailed account of the findings. Chapter Twelve is a discussion of the results obtained. The thesis concludes with a summary, and recommendations for improving provision in this sector, especially in respect of the quality of facilities and staffing. The Study confirmed what was generally assumed and suspected: that boarding school arrangements in the Eastern States of Nigeria continue to be in very high demand more than 25 years after Independence. The main conclusion was that parents, school authorities, members of the public and students, in general prefer boarding to day schools at this level despite the severe problems of plant and staff quality that are very evident. The thesis concludes with a number of alternative strategies, recommendations and comments aimed at improving the condition and provision in this sector of schooling. It is clearly not just a matter of improving physical facilities, there is urgent need for a clarification of the objectives of such provision in modern Nigeria as well as for suitable staff development programmes that will assist their realisation.
- Published
- 1986
17. Patterns of education in Tanzania : an analysis, with special reference to primary and community education
- Author
-
Nkumbi, Emmanuel Musee, Brock, Colin, and Moore, J. L.
- Subjects
370 ,Education - Abstract
This thesis is based on research carried out from January to June 1984 in Tanzania, mainly in the Central Zone regions of Singida and Dodoma, and in Britain. The primary aim of the text is to analyse the development of Tanzanian education with a view to an assessment, in context, of the primary sector, and especially the implementation of the Community School Programme. The core of the research is on primary schools, those institutions in which the whole process of education for the new national ideals must take place. The main policy concern of education in Tanzania is to make schools serve economic, social and human development and be increasingly integrated into the community, national and local. The basic premis of this study is that educational policy in Tanzania has been greatly influenced by: the literature and field of 'Community Education' in developed countries; international connections with Socialist countries; traditions of indigenous education and society; particular Mission and colonial involvements in the country; exposure to international bodies such as UNESCO and allied organizations; the political philosophy of education for self-reliance. These influences have been fully explained in Parts A, B and C of the thesis. How these principles are actually being carried out in Tanzanian primary schools has been the concern of Part D of the thesis. What has been espoused here is that the effective implementation of Tanzanian education policy is yet to be achieved. There has been a severe quantity-quality trade off occurring in primary education due mainly to financial, manpower and material constraints. Where planning has preceded political decisions, large measures of success have been achieved, but in general, political expediency and haste have created substantial divergency between policy and practice. Unevenness in the modernization process has produced enormous gaps between rural societies that are still traditional and urban societies that have become largely modern. The resulting differences in the human conditions between these two societies lie at the root of some of the most serious and hazardous problems of national well being now facing the peoples of Tanzania. For practical implementation of community based education policy, a reconciliation of the above influences is a necessary process which requires the co-operation and fullest support within the relevant local and international contexts.
- Published
- 1985
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