http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/464 Search the Channel search http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/simple-search http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/4387 Title: THE PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS <br/> <br/>Authors: SHIKUR, SEID <br/> <br/>Abstract: The multi-faceted processes of globalization have been associated with the increasing interconnectedness of the world or the creation of a global village. These processes are, however, full of ambiguities in that they challenge human freedom, dignity, rule of law and democratic self-determination. Especially, economic globalization creates what Pheng Chea calls the “inhuman conditions’ that describe the defective features of human existence due to commodification, technology and totalitarian domination. In this condition of human existence, cosmopolitanism is being advocated as a practical consciousness of universal humanism and as a political project to regulate the dehumanizing effects of economic globalization. The thesis explores and analyzes Jurgen Habermas’ conception of the cosmopolitan condition as constitutionally structured multi-level global governance without global government geared towards the global realization of peace, human rights, and democracy. Habermas upholds the enlightenment ideals of rationality, freedom, human rights and democracy based on the notion of communicative reason implicit in everyday use of language. Hence, Habermas defends the universality of the constitutional state subject to procedural discourse. The democratic ideal at the level of a state is to bring the political and economic system under the will of the people articulated in discourse. The global realization of human rights and democracy is conceived as the control of supranational and transnational governance by the will of world citizens developed in national and transnational public spheres. I argue that Habermas’ democratic theory seems to be unrealistic in existing liberal democracies where the autonomy of political discourse and public sphere is challenged by political and economic forces. Analogously, Habermas’ cosmopolitan project is problematic in that the development of cosmopolitan consciousness and global public sphere is compromised by economic globalization. In as much as national and transnational public spheres depend on uneven global economic structure; it is unlikely that Habermas’ project will realize the goal of overcoming global economic and social inequalities. I argue that the development of popular based nationalism in the postcolonial south can make the state serve the interest of the majority of the people and also challenge economic globalization. http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/4298 Title: ORAL CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK: AN EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY OF THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN TEACHERS’ BELIEFS, CLASSROOM PRACTICES, AND RATIONALES <br/> <br/>Authors: ANIMAW, ANTENEH <br/> <br/>Abstract: There is compelling evidence to indicate that the English proficiency of pre-service trainees at the English Department of the Addis Ababa University is plummeting. They join university with such poor English that it is almost impossible to raise it to the required level during the three years they stay here to complete their studies for a bachelor’s degree. It is these graduates of the Department that are deployed in the high schools as well as colleges and universities of the country as English teachers. There are obviously several reasons why the trainees join higher learning institutions with very little English. The objective of this study was to look more closely into a specific factor in the way teachers in high schools teach the language. More specifically, it aimed to explore the manner in which four high school teachers in public schools in Addis Ababa treated their students’ oral errors in the English classroom. Twenty-three lessons were video-recorded in their natural setting before the teachers were interviewed to indirectly elicit their beliefs on the topic of oral corrective feedback. After the in-depth interview with each teacher, the corrective feedback episodes in the recorded data were identified and classified using a slightly modified model of Lyster and Ranta (1997); some of these episodes were, then, shown to the respective teachers to help them recall and reflect on what exactly happened and why they reacted to their students’ errors the way they did. Their rationales were subsequently audio-recorded and transcribed. Moreover, four teacher trainers from the English Department of the Addis Ababa University were interviewed with the intent of finding out how these teachers had been trained to deal with students’ oral errors in the first place. The material these trainers used in relation to the topic at hand was also scrutinized to corroborate the information gathered from both the teachers and the trainers. Analyses of the data showed that the trainees did not have a firm theoretical ground on which they based their actions. Rather, they reacted to their students’ errors based on what they intuitively felt was right or they treated errors the way their own teachers treated their errors when they were students themselves. They also tended to avoid correcting their students’ errors, possibly due to lack of mastery of the language they are supposed to teach. It was also found that the trainers were not up-to-date with the current literature on the issue and had very divergent views. The material they used was found to be scanty and lacking in coherence. It is, therefore, recommended that trainees’ English proficiency be an important criterion before they are admitted into the teaching profession, that trainers keep themselves abreast of the current developments in the area and upgrade the material they are using for the training, and that shortterm trainings be organized for English teachers at all levels to help them raise the level of their proficiency in English in general as well as to expose them to more recent theories of language learning/teaching so that they can experiment with newer ways of dealing with students’ oral errors. http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/4238 Title: AN ANALYSIS OF THE IDEA OF ALIENATION <br/> <br/>Authors: MILLION, BIRUK http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/3839 Title: EXPLORATIONS IN THE PREPARATION OF PRE SERVICE EFL TEACHERS: A LEARNING CENTRED APPROACH <br/> <br/>Authors: HAILOM, BANTEYERGA <br/> <br/>Abstract: A learning centred approach to the training of EFL teachers at pre service level was tested for appropriateness and efficiency in bringing about desirable attitudinal and behavioural changes. A general framework was reconstructed to reflect the development of knowledge of teaching constituting background knowledge. existing practices of teaching and exploring new practices of teaching. A cross sectional survey study was made covering a population of 38 respondents of four categories: trainees who followed the revised syllabus of the ILS. trainees who followed the old syllabus of the ILS. university lecturers teaching English and school teachers teaching English. The purposes of this study were (i) to get a reasonable picture of the status quo and (U) to pilot the efficiency and precision of the questionnaire designed to collect data. The questionnaire included items that reflect teachers' perceptions of effective teaching. attitudes to the profession and perceptions of classroom communication in terms of Fanselow's categories. Data collected was treated by using the variability test and Means of preferences were computed to see value attachments. The cross sectional study suggested that teacher variability in the preferences of language teaching practices and their underlying principles is determined by lack of practical experience. Teachers' perceptions showed statistically significant agreement in those practices and principles that reflect their teaching (for the practitioners) and classroom learning (for the trainees) experiences. The Means computed to show value attachments. however. suggested the existence of favourable intentions in teachers to be competent in their professional practices. Thus. a teacher training methodology focusing on practice and reflection was reconstructed to promote the development of knowledge of teaching in trainees. The effect of the methodology was tested by conducting an experiment for four months with eleven trainees of EFL of the ILS. Statistical data was collected using the core questionnaire at pre and post project. Qualitative data was collected using diaries. video recordings of teaching practices and project evaluations made by participants. The variability and sign tests were used to treat statistical data. Descriptions of qualitative data were made for reflection on the process. The effect of reflective practical experience on reducing variability by helping trainees to get access to the knowledge base of teaching is supported. The longitudinal study suggested that (i) as teachers' teaching repertoire increases. their shared perceptions of practices and principles of promoting effective teaching increase; (ii) as teachers' understanding of themselves and their practices increase their abilities to optimise the interaction of classroom variables increase and (iii) as a corollary effective teaching is neither teacher nor learner centred. but a process realised when a teacher is able to bring himself/herself. the students and the teaching aids in use into optimum interaction. In the longitudinal study reflections made by trainees and observations made during the four months suggested that if teachers are helped to discover themselves and understand their practices. they can tackle classroom problems such as class size. poor motivation of students. poor materials and the like. In order to help trainees to get in control of their capacities. the training methodology has to consider trainees' background knowledge as a starting point. xvii • < Trainees come to the training programme with established beliefs, values and expectations. Reflection on these topics prepares them to accommodate new modes of thinking. A descriptive and participatory approach is observed to be an appropriate technique to break defensive barriers and to create a social climate of trust among trainees themselves on the one hand, between the trainer and trainees. on the other. The longitudinal study suggested that as trainees continue to develop self confidence, they also embark on exploring and experimenting with new techniques and practices to increase their teaching repertoire. The management of the process is critical and the role of the teacher trainer is decisive. The exploratory stage marks a significant behavioural and attitudinal change towards becoming a professional teacher. The process of learning to teach and teaching to learn is enhanced. Thus. it is called A Learning Centred Approach. Since this is also an exploratory study, the validity of observations made and statistical measurements used has to be confirmed by colleagues interested in second language teacher education. It is hoped that issues raised throughout this work will provoke thought, inquiry. and future research.