[pt] A participação das pessoas com deficiência visual no mercado de trabalho ainda é limitada ao número de exigência legal de funcionários, onde muitos são destinados a funções com pouca valorização. Essa situação se agravou no momento de isolamento social, causado pela pandemia do Coronavírus (Covid-19), onde o desemprego se intensificou. A partir do entendimento desse cenário, esta pesquisa buscou compreender a interação do trabalhador com o ambiente físico no momento de isolamento social, através do levantamento bibliográfico, entrevista exploratória, análise da entrevista exploratória, história de vida, análise da entrevista da história de vida, elaboração e execução da dinâmica tátil e a análise dos resultados. A técnica de entrevista foi escolhida com o objetivo de compreender o impacto do home office no isolamento social e para a sua realização tivemos como recorte os trabalhadores que não exerciam essa modalidade de trabalho em casa e se viram na necessidade de modificar o seu espaço. A análise dos resultados foi realizada com a técnica de Análise de Conteúdo, proposta por Laurence Bardin, e após esse momento buscamos entender através das peças impressas os ambientes dos entrevistados. Como resultado essa dissertação destaca que a maioria dos entrevistados realizaram modificações no espaço devido ao ambiente não estar preparado para receber as atividades de trabalho ou porque precisou dividir esse local com um familiar. A técnica inovadora da dinâmica tátil favoreceu a comunicação dos entrevistados sobre os seus ambientes de trabalho, pois detalhes do local só foram mencionados com a dinâmica tátil. Esse grupo de pessoas também mostrou interesse em ter um ambiente equipado para o seu dia a dia, tendo o arquiteto/designer de interiores um papel fundamental nesse processo se souber realizar projetos que explorem outros sentidos que não a visão. A dinâmica tátil ―Meu Ambiente‖ pode ser um facilitador desse desenvolvimento, principalmente no estudo preliminar. / [en] The participation of visually impaired people in the labor market is still limited to the number of legal requirements for employees, where many are assigned to functions with little appreciation. This situation worsened at the time of social isolation, caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, where unemployment intensified. From the understanding of this scenario, this research sought to understand the interaction of the worker with the physical environment at the time of social isolation, through the bibliographical survey, exploratory interview, analysis of the exploratory interview, life history, analysis of the life history interview, elaboration and execution of the tactile dynamics and the analysis of the results. The interview technique was chosen with the objective of understanding the impact of the home office on social isolation and for its realization we registered the worker who did not exercise this modality of work at home and found himself in the need to modify his space. The analysis of the results was carried out using the Content Analysis technique, proposed by Laurence Bardin, and after that moment we tried to understand the visitors of the visitors through the printed pieces. As a result of this dissertation, he highlights that most of the requests were modified in space due to the environment not being prepared to receive work activities or because he had to share this place with a family member. The innovative technique of tactile dynamics favored the communication of care about their work environments, as details of the place were only mentioned with the dynamics of the blocks. This group of people also showed interest in having an environment equipped for their daily lives, with the architect/interior designer having a key role in this process if they know how to carry out projects that explore senses other than sight. The tactile dynamic My Environment” can facilitate this development, especially in the preliminary study.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the modes of thinking and learning of South African disadvantaged learners as well as to discover whether the teaching methods used by their teachers, encourage diverse cognitive skills and learning styles amongst learners. A survey of existing literature on this subject identifies a number of theories that indicate that learners come to school with diverse modes of thinking and learning. Furthermore, existing literature, indicate that educationally disadvantaged learners tend towards a Field Dependent, socially orientated mode of cognitive processing and a largely visual and kinaesthetic mode of sensory processing information. Research also reveals that teaching methods and teacher expectation of learner potential play a vital role in the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners. Teachers tend to have lower expectations of the academic potential of disadvantaged learners. Moreover, teachers tend to favour teaching methods that meet the needs of learners who use Field Independent cognitive and Auditory sensory processing. Another aspect acknowledged in existing literature that influences the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners is the role of family and the community. Disadvantaged learners generally do not have the support and security of a stable home and are frequently exposed to violence and an educationally impoverished environment. Parents and guardians tend to be less involved in the education of their children. Disadvantaged learners who were part of this empirical study conducted in the Ekhuruleni Metropolitan area, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, showed a more concrete approach to academic activities and revealed a tendency towards Field Dependency and a visual and kinaesthetic sensory approach to processing information. Learners preferred more frequent social interaction during academic activities. The study also found that the teaching method most commonly used in the geographical area mentioned above, took the form of lecturing or `chalk-and-talk' and that teaching aids generally took the form of worksheets. Hence the teaching approach most used by teachers in the study, did not address the modes of thinking and learning of disadvantaged learners in the schools that participated in the empirical study and generally did not encourage deeper cognitive structures. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The aim of this investigation was to determine the modes of thinking and learning of South African disadvantaged learners as well as to discover whether the teaching methods used by their teachers, encourage diverse cognitive skills and learning styles amongst learners. A survey of existing literature on this subject identifies a number of theories that indicate that learners come to school with diverse modes of thinking and learning. Furthermore, existing literature, indicate that educationally disadvantaged learners tend towards a Field Dependent, socially orientated mode of cognitive processing and a largely visual and kinaesthetic mode of sensory processing information. Research also reveals that teaching methods and teacher expectation of learner potential play a vital role in the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners. Teachers tend to have lower expectations of the academic potential of disadvantaged learners. Moreover, teachers tend to favour teaching methods that meet the needs of learners who use Field Independent cognitive and Auditory sensory processing. Another aspect acknowledged in existing literature that influences the academic achievement of disadvantaged learners is the role of family and the community. Disadvantaged learners generally do not have the support and security of a stable home and are frequently exposed to violence and an educationally impoverished environment. Parents and guardians tend to be less involved in the education of their children. Disadvantaged learners who were part of this empirical study conducted in the Ekhuruleni Metropolitan area, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, showed a more concrete approach to academic activities and revealed a tendency towards Field Dependency and a visual and kinaesthetic sensory approach to processing information. Learners preferred more frequent social interaction during academic activities. The study also found that the teaching method most commonly used in the geographical area mentioned above, took the form of lecturing or `chalk-and-talk' and that teaching aids generally took the form of worksheets. Hence the teaching approach most used by teachers in the study, did not address the modes of thinking and learning of disadvantaged learners in the schools that participated in the empirical study and generally did not encourage deeper cognitive structures. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This thesis project explores how interactive technologies can facilitate a sense of social connectedness with others whilst remotely located. While studying the way humans use rituals for emotional management, I focused my interest on the act of commensality because it is one of the oldest and most important rituals used to foster togetherness among families and groups of friends. Dining with people who do not belong to the same household is of course hard during a global pandemic, just like many of the other forms of social interactions that were forcibly replaced by the use of technological means such as video-chat apps, instant messaging and perhaps an excessive use of social networking websites. These ways of staying connected, however, lack the subtleties of real physical interaction, which I tried to replicate with my prototype system, which consists of two sets of a lamp and a coaster which enable to communicate through light and tactile cues. The use of such devices creates a new kind of ritual based on the simultaneous use of the devices by two people, thus enabling a new and original form of commensality that happens through a shared synchronized experience.