Dans ce travail de recherche, nous nous sommes intéressés à la conception et au développement d'un système iNformatIque COmmunautaire mobiLe et AdapTatif, appelé NICOLAT. Ce dernier vise à supporter une CoP dans laquelle l'apprentissage s'effectue via la résolution communautaire de problèmes en offrant des solutions qui permettent de limiter les facteurs qui peuvent aboutir à la démotivation des membres de la CoP.Pour expérimenter et valider les solutions que nous proposons à travers ce système, nous ciblons la CoP des enseignants usagers de la méthode pédagogique MAETIC, qui peuvent rencontrer, en classe, des problèmes dans l'usage de celle-ci.Ainsi, nos principales contributions se résument dans les points suivants : 1) La mise en place du noyau communautaire du système NICOLAT. Ce dernier est sous forme d'un réseau social supportant la résolution communautaire de problèmes, 2) La mise en place d'une couche de résolution de problèmes ayant pour objectif d'aider le membre à résoudre son problème par exploitation de l'historique des problèmes résolus dans le passé. Ceci pour minimiser le nombre de demandes d'aide répétitives. Le cycle du raisonnement RàPC (Raisonnement à Partir de Cas) a été utilisé pour guider ce processus, 3) La mise en place de deux couches d'adaptation permettant de supporter les interactions des membres dans les outils d'interaction qu'ils préfèrent ou avec lesquels ils sont familiarisés le plus. L'objectif visé par cette adaptation est, d'une part, de dépasser les problèmes de prise en main de nouveaux outils d'interaction. D'autre part, de permettre l'accès au système en cas de mobilité et minimiser ainsi le temps de réponse, 4) La mise en place d'une approche de sélection des membres qui peuvent contribuer positivement à résoudre un problème à qui faire aboutir la demande d'aide. L'objectif est de permettre à un membre cherchant à résoudre son problème de recevoir une réponse pertinente / In this research work, we focused on design and development of an adaptive and mobile community system, called NICOLAT (iNformatIque COmmunautaire mobiLe et AdapTatif). The latter aims to support a Community of Practice (CoP) in which learning is done through community problem solving by providing solutions that limit the factors that can lead to the demotivation of the CoP members.To experiment and validate the solutions we provide through this system, we target the CoP of teachers users of the MAETIC pedagogical method, who can meet, in classroom, problems in the use of it.Thus, our main contributions are summarized in the following points: 1) Establishment of community kernel of the NICOLAT system. The latter is as a social network supporting the community solving of problems, 2) Implementation of problems resolution layer that aims to help the member solve his problem through the exploitation of the history of problems solved in the past. This is to minimize the number of repetitive help requests. The cycle of the CBR (Case-Based Reasoning) was used to guide this process, 3) Establishment of an interactions adaptation layer to support the members' interactions in the interaction tools they prefer or with which they are most familiar. The purpose of this adaptation is, firstly, to exceed the problems of interaction tools manipulation. On the other hand, to enable access to the system in case of mobility and thereby minimize response time, 4) Establishment of a dynamic approach of selection of members who can contribute positively to solve a problem, to whom bring the help requests. The objective is to enable a member seeking to solve his problem to receive a relevant answer

Information technologies have become relevant enablers in knowledge management (KM) initiatives in academic institutions. A previous study by Anduvare (2015) revealed that the Marist International University College, Nairobi - Kenya had not adequately adopted information technologies into KM practices entwined in teaching, learning and research. This research study, therefore, set out to explore technologies that are capable of supporting KM practices in academic institutions in order to recommend some to the MIUC. Purposive sampling was used to select the MIUC full-time academic staff members as the target population as the researcher believed that they actively use knowledge at the MIUC and hence, would be in a position to understand the extent of information technology usage in KM practices. The study employed a qualitative research design that involved the use of Google forms to conduct an online survey in order to collect data from the target population. The study achieved a 100% response rate. Content analysis was utilised to analyse the data during which data within the specified themes (collaborative and distributive learning; knowledge discovery; knowledge mapping and knowledge application) was scrutinised for meaning. The data was then interpreted, presented and discussed based on the research sub-questions set for the study. The findings of the study confirmed the existence of KM practices at the MIUC. The study, thus, recommended some information technologies that support the KM practices to the MIUC which had been established through a review of literature. / Mini Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Information Science / MIT / Unrestricted

Magister Artium - MA / Background: Healthcare workers are the human face of health systems, serving to connect knowledge and service delivery to improve patient care. The development of core competencies in the education of health professionals is fundamental for health improvement. Interprofessional collaboration amongst healthcare workers has been linked to improved patient outcomes as no single professional can address all healthcare issues. Aim: The aim of this research was to determine how UWC undergraduate physiotherapy students were being prepared for collaborative work as part of their professional development. Educational experiences of the third- and final-year physiotherapy cohort, physiotherapy educators’ perspectives on the development of competency for collaboration and a review of physiotherapy module outlines were explored. Research Method: A descriptive qualitative research design utilizing focus groups, semi-structured interviews and document analysis was employed. A pedagogical framework was used for instrument development and data analysis. The pedagogical framework was adapted from the CanMEDS physician competency framework, the core competency framework by the Medical and Dental Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Essential Competency Profile for physiotherapists in Canada. Research was conducted at the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of the Western Cape. Purposive sampling was undertaken with the sample population having consisted of six third- and six final-year physiotherapy students for the focus group discussions and seven lecturers formed the sample for the semi-structured interviews as well as sixteen physiotherapy module outlines. Data was collected and focus group discussion and interviews were transcribed verbatim. An inductive content analysis of the transcribed data was conducted and compared to the Pedagogical framework. Content analyses of module outlines were conducted drawing on Biggs work on constructive alignment and compared to the Pedagogical framework. Ethical clearance was received from the Senate Research Committee of the University of the Western Cape. Results: Participants showed a keen knowledge on the importance of collaboration in the teaching and clinical environment. It had relevance for personal development and learning as well as for interprofessional collaboration. Interprofessional education and group work were thought to be instrumental in collaborative learning but a lack of congruency of learning activities could be a barrier to learning. The clinical environment was highlighted as beneficial to developing collaboration through interprofessional observation and interaction but high patient loads and a lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all healthcare professionals were identified as barriers. To a lesser degree, communication, conflict management and confidence were identifiable skills physiotherapy students should have to be effective collaborators. Conclusion: Students are well-positioned to participate within interprofessional team but have inadequately developed collaborative competencies. These include interprofessional role understanding and skills in conflict management, confidence and communication. Constructive alignment of curriculum by aligning learning outcomes and learning activities to develop collaboration including interprofessional learning activities would better prepare students for interprofessional collaboration.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / This study investigates how students in an online Masters Programme in Adult Learning, although geographically dispersed used SNs to develop a supportive environment that enables collaborative learning to support and deepen their learning. Web 2.0 social software provided the tools for various forms of communication and information sharing amongst student within the social networks. This study shows how the use of Web 2.0 tools such as wikis, podcasts, blogs, chat rooms, social networking sites and email have the potential to expand the learning environment, increase participation and enrich the learning experience. Rapid technological developments transform our world into a global society which is ever changing and interconnected. The SNs as a learning environment in this technological driven global society is complex and not clearly defined; therefore it was not easy for me to understand the nature of the SNs as learning environment. The social nature of this study has therefore urged me to use social constructivism as a conceptual framework to gain insights into how students have used the social networks to develop a supportive environment that enables collaborative learning to support and deepen their learning. The utilisation of social constructivism as theoretical lens has helped to broaden my perceptions of the SNs as learning environment, to deepen my understanding of how learning occurs in the SNs and to comprehend learner behaviour within this pedagogical space. Social constructivists view learning as a social process in which people make sense of their world by interacting with other people (Doolittle & Camp, 1999). Social constructivists belief in the social nature of knowledge, and the belief that knowledge is the result of social interaction and language usage, and, thus, is a shared, rather than an individual, experience (Prawat & Floden, 1994). Furthermore, they believe that this social interaction always occurs within a socio-cultural context, resulting in knowledge that is bound to a specific time and place (Vygotsky, 1978).

Trends in teacher education increasingly emphasize the need for quality ongoing teacher professional development that is accessible, flexible, fosters advanced skillset development, and has the power to change teachers' practice. Participatory approaches to learning that are situated, collaborative, dialogic, and inquiry-oriented promote the development of such knowledge, skills, and practices within professional communities of practice and form a foundation for quality teacher professional development. Current online and collaborative technologies offer significant access, flexibility, and economic advantages and afford individuals ways to connect with others without time and space restrictions, making online teacher professional development possible. Online learning environments where deep knowledge and complex understanding emerge through dialogue and collaboration within communities of practice must be carefully designed. These learning environments are typically context-dependent, and the design solutions and their implementation may vary substantially. Therefore, these designs must be guided by the most current theoretical understanding and best instructional and design practices. Research in this dissertation adds to our understanding of effective online teacher professional development design, development, and implementation practices by responding to a local problem of redesigning existing teacher professional development courses into an online modality. This dissertation is presented in a three-article format. The first article is an integrative literature review. It contributes by bringing together theories, frameworks, and practices from several different disciplines and could inform online participatory professional development design solutions across various contexts. The second article is a design case featuring a template designed to support progressive knowledge-building discourse, a fundamental feature connecting multiple characteristics that contribute to effective teacher professional development. The third article presents findings from a self-study of design practice. It provides insight into decision-making during purposefully employing technology to meet pedagogical needs during the design process. This study demonstrates that aligning technology and pedagogy is feasible. The concept of pedagogical intent is proposed as a potentially valuable guiding principle that could enable such alignment while designing technology-mediated instruction. Designing high-quality online teacher professional development is a complex yet worthwhile endeavor. This dissertation offers valuable information about theoretical grounding related to designing online professional development, ways that productive dialogue and collaboration can be supported online, and the importance of technology-pedagogy alignment during the design process. We are only beginning to understand what works in online teacher professional development and why it works. More research is needed to identify theoretical frameworks, principles, and processes that could guide both practitioners and researchers in its design, development, implementation, and evaluation.

Increased impact of technology leads numerous studies to conduct research on the effect of social media on performance. Very limited of such studies have tried to observe and record the use of social media for collaborative learning as a way to improve collaborative authoring. This paper tries to the validation of the technology acceptance model (TAM) on social media use for collaborative learning to enhance collaborative authoring among research students. To achieve the study objective, this paper employed a questionnaire as the main data collection method and distributed it to 1118 responses of various researchers from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) all of whom use social media. The findings were obtained via a quantitative research method, structural equation modeling (SEM-AMOS). The findings from our empirical study indicate that all the hypotheses were supported; we demonstrate that the use of social media positively and significantly related to collaborative authoring through collaborative learning between researchers in higher education. Therefore, the proposed model will help academic and decision-makers formulate the strategies that can encourage students and researchers to use social media to improving collaborative authoring through collaborative learning.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Applied English Language)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Refer to document

English speaking skills and the ability to collaborate with others are essential in our global society. Students need to be provided with the knowledge to actively participate in society and develop the ability to use different strategies to support their communication. However, speaking anxiety and not knowing how to cope with speaking anxiety could pose a problem for language learners, affecting their academic achievement. This quantitative study investigated students’ perceptions of speaking anxiety and working in groups or pairs in the foreign English classroom. A questionnaire was used and answered by secondary school students, attending their last year at two different schools. The study identified which strategies students use to cope with speaking anxiety. It was found that the majority of the participants experienced working collaboratively had positive outcomes on their experienced speaking anxiety and over a half of the language learner’s believed working in groups made them speak and participate more during English lessons. Fear of negative evaluation showed being the lowest source for experienced speaking anxiety while the most anxiety-provoking situation was having to speak publicly in class. In addition, the study showed that actively encourage oneself by taking risks in the language classroom was the most common used strategy to cope with speaking anxiety in the language classroom. Moreover, a third of the participants expressed they did not know any strategy to use to cope with their speaking anxiety.

Background: Interprofessional Education (IPE) can improve teamwork among future healthcare professionals, but the academic structural environment can be a barrier to its implementation. Methods and Results: Students from seven professional programs (athletic training. exercise science, nursing, nutrition, public health, social work, and speech-language pathology) participated in a two-part IPE program consisting of: a web-based education module and an in-person interactive workshop. Students were administered a deidentified pre/post survey to assess changes in their knowledge and attitudes toward IPE. A total of 54 students participated in both components with 46 students completing both surveys. After participating in the IPE program, significantly more students reported changes in 10 of the 18 items on the survey, particularly differentiating the roles of each profession and the benefits of interprofessional collaboration in their future careers. Conclusion: This program increased students’ understanding of the roles of different health professions. Implementing an IPE program is beneficial for enhancing student knowledge and changing attitudes toward IPE.

This thesis explored the application of Media Synchronicity Theory and its potential for translating Critical Pedagogy (specifically Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed) into a computersupported collaborative work (CSCW) environment. It introduces the Maquina dos Oprimidos (Mados) prototype, a CSCW supplement to traditional asynchronous learning networks. Mados operates as a role-playing debate game, in which students debate a pre-selected prompt while performing assigned character roles. The study explores the prototype's potential to affect student's identification with their assigned character and personal attitude toward the prompt, as well as examining the effect of presence on students' performances. The study was performed with 38 8th grade students. Subjects debated a prompt which proposed a banning cell phones from classrooms. Results show that subjects collaboratively constructed solutions that compromised between both positions, while slightly favoring the antiban position. Results also show that subjects experienced gains in character identification after participating in the task regardless of assigned character, hinting at a separation between perceived similarity to characters and affinity for characters' position. The ability of subjects to defend their assigned character's position while inhabiting their own perspective, that of an 8th grade student, also hints at this separation. Additionally, results indicated correlations between subjects' control factors, a subset measure for presence, and total change in prompt agreement. Other positive correlation exist between subject's reprocessing attempts and task performance, as well as total presence and task performance