Hohe Benutzertauglichkeit und Akzeptanz eines Webseitenservices sind nur dann gewährleistet, wenn diese auf die funktionalen Bedürfnisse, aber auch auf die strukturellen Vorstellungen ihrer Benutzer zugeschnitten sind. Im Kontext einer Webseite zur „Suche nach E-Learning-Produkten im Internet“ wurde untersucht, inwieweit die Kenntnis der Mentalen Modelle potenzieller Nutzer den Softwareentwicklungsprozess positiv beeinflussen kann. Dabei erlaubte die Erhebung Mentaler Modelle mit Hilfe der Struktur-Lege-Technik (SLT) als Evaluationsmethode einen Vergleich mit der tatsächlich entwickelten Webseite. Die Studie zeigte, dass trotz zuvor bereits durchgeführter, klassischer Evaluationen (Usability Tests, Anwendung von Heuristiken und Cognitive Walkthroughs) 40 Funktionsbereiche genannt wurden, die auf der tatsächlichen Webseite nicht vorgesehen oder umgesetzt sind. Daraus folgt, dass die Erhebung von Mentalen Modellen ebenfalls bereits vor dem Software-Entwicklungsprozess durchgeführt werden soll.

Federal agencies operating along the border in southern Florida include the United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), which is the parent agency for Border Patrol (BP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the National Park Service (NPS). Each agency has its own mission regarding immigration, and conflicts have emerged regarding responsibilities and responses to immigrant landings. The purpose of this study was to identify federal law enforcement perspectives about tactics for responses to Cuban immigrant landings within national parks in southern Florida. This study was motivated by the following research questions: 1.) How do the federal agencies operating along the southeastern border in Florida work together during responses to Cuban immigrant landings within national parks? 2.) What are the perspectives among agency personnel about tactics for response to Cuban immigrant landings within national parks? 3.) What tactics should be emphasized in future responses? The concept of shared mental models (SMM) provided a framework for the research, and data was collected through the Q method. Three factors, or social perspectives, on responses to landings were revealed: 1.) React & Transport, 2.) Protect and 3.) Plan. Implications for managers, limitations and future research is discussed.

abstract: Collaborative learning is a common teaching strategy in classrooms across age groups and content areas. It is important to measure and understand the cognitive process involved during collaboration to improve teaching methods involving interactive activities. This research attempted to answer the question: why do students learn more in collaborative settings? Using three measurement tools, 142 participants from seven different biology courses at a community college and at a university were tested before and after collaborating about the biological process of natural selection. Three factors were analyzed to measure their effect on learning at the individual level and the group level. The three factors were: difference in prior knowledge, sex and religious beliefs. Gender and religious beliefs both had a significant effect on post-test scores. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2012

How do we understand? A pivot proposalThe basic question is what it is needed to understand. The proposal is that understanding requires pivots, a useful word to integrate findings in different areas. In that sense, a pivot can be understood as a mental model. It can also be the body, an idea based on embodied cognition. But more fundamentally, our biology and brain are the central pivots for understanding. Therefore, this essay can be seen as a brief travel through three different subjects: Mental Models, Embodied Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience, all of which are necessary to understand how a person understands. / La pregunta básica es qué se necesita para comprender. La propuesta es que comprender necesita pivotes, término utilizado para integrar hallazgos en varias áreas. De tal manera, un pivote puede ser entendido como un modelo mental. Un pivote también es el cuerpo, idea que surge del concepto de cognición corporizada. Pero tal vez más fundamental, la biología y el cerebro son los pivotes esenciales para comprender. Así, el ensayo se puede ver como un recorrido breve de tres materias: modelos mentales, cognición corporizada y neurociencias cognitivas; todas necesarias para entender cómo comprende una persona

Begreppet mental träning i idrottssammanhang är allmänt känt. Detta gäller även ishockeyn vilket styrks av denna kvalitativa studie. Studien har två målgrupper, där fokusgruppsintervjuer genomförts med elitsatsande juniorishockeyspelare och semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomförts med tränare från de deltagande spelarnas föreningar. Studiens syfte ämnade undersöka hur och på vilket sätt det arbetas med mental träning och vilka erfarenheter och värderingar som fanns hos målgrupperna. Resultatet av studien visar en gemensam syn från samtliga deltagare att mental träning är viktigt men att användandet av det i praktiken inte överensstämmer med de värderingar som råder. Bilden av vad mental träning innebär är av svaren att döma högst individuell och endast ett fåtal av deltagarna säger sig arbeta kontinuerligt med mental träning i prestationshöjande syfte. Kunskap om ämnet i stort och hur det kan användas av spelare och tränare i praktiken har fortfarande stor utvecklingspotential. Det är 14 år sedan Svenska Ishockeyförbundet genomförde en kvantitativ undersökning i ämnet mental träning. I undersökningen framgår det att spelarna ansåg att mental träning var viktigt, men trots detta arbetade nästintill ingen aktivt med det. Lite har hänt. Förhoppningsvis bidrar denna studie till att det om ytterligare 14 år skett en mer markant förändring.

A Biologia Molecular e a Biotecnologia e seus conceitos subjacentes estão inseridos no currículo escolar da educação básica e têm estado presentes na vida cotidiana dos estudantes, envolvendo a análise e tomada de decisão sobre aspectos éticos relacionados à produção e aplicação do conhecimento científico e tecnológico. As explicações de alguns fenômenos e processos relacionados a estes temas estão quase sempre no nível molecular e atômico, que é descrito e explicado com modelos conceituais e físicos, ou até mesmo imagens. À luz da Teoria dos Modelos Mentais de Johnson-Laird, as pessoas raciocinam através de modelos mentais, podendo utilizar outras formas de representações mentais como proposições e imagens. Nesse contexto propôs-se diagnosticar entre treze alunos dos cursos de Licenciatura em Ciências Exatas (LCE) e Bacharelado em Ciências Físicas e Biomoleculares (CFBio), ambos cursos da Universidade de São Paulo, quais as representações mentais que esses alunos possuíam sobre o tema proteínas, bem como a contribuição de uma sequência didática utilizando modelos táteis para o ensino e aprendizagem da estrutura e função de proteínas. Para tal, realizamos (a) uma entrevista com os alunos dos cursos mencionados (pré-teste), (b) dois cursos com duração de três dias para cada turma (LCE e CFBio) e (c) uma entrevista com os mesmos alunos transcorrida uma semana após a realização de cada curso (pós-teste). Os dados obtidos foram de três tipos: registros escritos (desenhos e/ ou esquemas); um ou mais modelos táteis montados com materiais de baixo custo; áudio e imagens oriundos das filmagens das entrevistas. Os registros escritos e os modelos táteis de cada aluno foram fotografados e os áudios das entrevistas transcritos, gerando um documento individual que possibilitou uma análise de conteúdo, permitindo a divisão da amostra em duas categorias: alunos modelizadores e não modelizadores, cada uma com subcategorias próprias. A detecção das representações mentais que os alunos possuíam antes e após o curso sinalizou que a contribuição da sequência didática aplicada no curso para o ensino/aprendizagem do tema proteínas foi positiva, promovendo o aumento do número de alunos modelizadores e possibilitando aos mesmos o aumento do nível de complexidade e sofisticação em suas representações externas (modelos táteis e desenhos) e a evolução e esclarecimento de conceitos antes não compreendidos. / The Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and its underlying concepts are embedded in the curriculum of basic education and have been present in the daily life of students, involving the analysis and decision making about ethical issues related to the production and application of scientific and technological knowledge. The explanations of some phenomena and processes related to these themes are almost always in atomic and molecular level, which is described and explained with physical and conceptual models, or even images. In light of the mental models theory of Johnson-Laird, people reason through mental models and may use other forms of mental representations as propositions and images. In this context we proposed diagnose mental representations that students in higher education had on the subject proteins, as well as the contribution of a didactic sequence using tactile models for teaching and learning the structure and function of proteins. Thirteen students of two undergraduation courses Teacher education course in Exact Sciences (LCE) and Bachelor in Biomolecular and Physical Sciences (CFBio) - participated of this research. The tools used for data collection were: (a) an interview with the students of the courses mentioned (pre-test), (b) two courses lasting three days for each group (CFBio and LCE) and (c) an interview with the same students made one week after completion of each course (post-test). The data were of three kinds: written records (drawings and/or diagrams), one or more tactile models assembled with low cost materials, audio and pictures from the filming of the interviews. Written records and tactile models of each student were photographed and audio interviews transcribed, generating an individual document that provided a content analysis, allowing the classification of students in two categories: modellers and non-modellers, each one with its own subcategories. The detection of mental representations that students had before and after the course indicated that the contribution of the didactic sequence for the teaching/learning of the subject proteins was positive, increasing the number of students modellers and enables them (a) increase the level of complexity and sophistication in their external representations (drawings and tactile models) and (b) the development and clarification of concepts not previously understood.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-01T23:40:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_496_Dissertação-Renata Gomes de Jesus .pdf: 818261 bytes, checksum: 76b435eb3149b1979808ba4ab2dfbcc3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-03-11 / À medida que se verifica o avanço das Tecnologias da Informação, há um acréscimo no número de empresas que passa a adotar sistemas computacionais para auxiliar na gestão de seus processos. Na década de 90, houve uma crescente adoção de sistemas ERP (sigla para Enterprise Resource Planning) pelas empresas brasileiras. Vistos a princípio como a solução para muitos dos problemas organizacionais, essas ferramentas nem sempre deixam as organizações que as adotam totalmente satisfeitas com os resultados alcançados. Sua implantação não consiste somente de uma mudança tecnológica dentro de uma organização. Transformam-se também, os modelos mentais dos atores envolvidos, pois sua principal característica é a de integração dos processos. Quando o ERP começa a ser utilizado no dia-a-dia empresarial, é comum surgirem problemas decorrentes não só da tecnologia. O objetivo desse trabalho é o de analisar como fatores humanos, notadamente aqueles vinculados aos aspectos individuais, podem interferir no resultado final da implantação. Para a realização da pesquisa utilizou-se o método do estudo de caso, tendo como objeto de estudo a Chocolates Garoto S.A., empresa capixaba que passou por esse processo no final da década de 90. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como descritiva e utilizou uma abordagem qualitativa. / As verifies the advance of the Information Technology, there is an increase in the number of companies that adopt computational systems to assist in their activities. In the 90’s, the use of systems ERP package (acronym to Enterprise Resource Planning) obtained great success in the mark et of Information Technology. Seen in principle as the solution of many or ganizational problems, the ERP systems not always completely satisfy the organization s that adopt them with the results. The implantation of a ERP system do not consist only in a technologic change within the organization, but also in a change in mental models, because its main characteristic is process integration. Afte r the implantion it is common to arise problems resulting from not only technologic aspects. The object of this research is to analyse how the human aspects, as the ones tied to individuals aspects, can interfere in the final result of the implantation. For the realizatio n of this reasearch it was used the Study of Case method, having as object of study the Chocolates Garoto S.A., an organization from Espírito Santo that had being throught the process of implantation of the SAP R/3 system at the end of the 90’s. The reasearch is characterized as descriptive and used a qualitative broaching.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-01T23:40:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_496_Dissertação-Renata Gomes de Jesus .pdf: 818261 bytes, checksum: 76b435eb3149b1979808ba4ab2dfbcc3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-03-11 / À medida que se verifica o avanço das Tecnologias da Informação, há um acréscimo no número de empresas que passa a adotar sistemas computacionais para auxiliar na gestão de seus processos. Na década de 90, houve uma crescente adoção de sistemas ERP (sigla para Enterprise Resource Planning) pelas empresas brasileiras. Vistos a princípio como a solução para muitos dos problemas organizacionais, essas ferramentas nem sempre deixam as organizações que as adotam totalmente satisfeitas com os resultados alcançados. Sua implantação não consiste somente de uma mudança tecnológica dentro de uma organização. Transformam-se também, os modelos mentais dos atores envolvidos, pois sua principal característica é a de integração dos processos. Quando o ERP começa a ser utilizado no dia-a-dia empresarial, é comum surgirem problemas decorrentes não só da tecnologia. O objetivo desse trabalho é o de analisar como fatores humanos, notadamente aqueles vinculados aos aspectos individuais, podem interferir no resultado final da implantação. Para a realização da pesquisa utilizou-se o método do estudo de caso, tendo como objeto de estudo a Chocolates Garoto S.A., empresa capixaba que passou por esse processo no final da década de 90. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como descritiva e utilizou uma abordagem qualitativa. / As verifies the advance of the Information Technology, there is an increase in the number of companies that adopt computational systems to assist in their activities. In the 90’s, the use of systems ERP package (acronym to Enterprise Resource Planning) obtained great success in the mark et of Information Technology. Seen in principle as the solution of many or ganizational problems, the ERP systems not always completely satisfy the organization s that adopt them with the results. The implantation of a ERP system do not consist only in a technologic change within the organization, but also in a change in mental models, because its main characteristic is process integration. Afte r the implantion it is common to arise problems resulting from not only technologic aspects. The object of this research is to analyse how the human aspects, as the ones tied to individuals aspects, can interfere in the final result of the implantation. For the realizatio n of this reasearch it was used the Study of Case method, having as object of study the Chocolates Garoto S.A., an organization from Espírito Santo that had being throught the process of implantation of the SAP R/3 system at the end of the 90’s. The reasearch is characterized as descriptive and used a qualitative broaching.

The focus of this study is based on a web development team working within the confines of a Swedish authority. It has been recognized that web development teams are struggling to cooperate and work in high capacity efficiency, mostly due to the nature of the multifarious tasks at hand and their lack of understanding of each respective roles within the team. In lieu of this major downfall, establishing a mental model faceted way of thinking and working may improve effectiveness, communication and collaboration amongst all members of a functioning team. A shared mental model is developed through four stages of cognitive processes; knowing, learning, understanding and executing. The purpose of this study is to examine and show an example of how shared mental models can be developed in an existing web development team. By analyzing two workshop practices, this study aims to answer the following questions: How can workshop practices “visualizing user stories” as well as facilitating “design studio sessions” be used to establish common understanding within the web development team? How can four stages of cognitive processes (knowing, learning, understanding and executing) for developing shared mental models be understood? Participant observation and interviews are among research methods used. The ‘Shared Mental Model’ by Cannon-Bowers et al. (1993) is the primary theoretical framework used here. The results of this study indicate how workshop practices such as visualizing user stories well as conducting design studio sessions contribute to a common understanding due to increased social interaction among team members. The results also indicate that the web development team has been unable to process and exchange relevant information with each other during the initial stages of learning and development due to the lack of team building activities. This, in return affects further development of the shared mental model in the following steps. / I denna studie undersöks en svensk myndighets webbutvecklingsteam som i dag arbetar med att göra om myndighetens webbsida vilket inkluderar framtagning av nya gränssnitt och funktioner. I många fall har det visat sig att system- och webbutvecklingsteam har problem med att förhandla fram en gemensam förståelse. Dels på grund av de olika roller som ingår i ett team men även på grund av arbetsuppgifternas komplexitet och struktur. Svårigheter med att kommunicera, koordinera och samarbeta effektivt upplevs vara centralt i system- och webbutvecklingsprojekt. Att utveckla en gemensam förståelse tillika delade mentala modeller (hädanefter DMM, eng. Shared Mental Models) för lag- och uppgiftsarbetet kan förenkla kommunikation, koordination och samarbete inom ett team. Syftet med denna studie är därmed att illustrera ett exempel på hur DMM skulle kunna utvecklas inom ett webbutvecklingsteam. Webbutvecklingsteamet studeras och analyseras utifrån fyra steg av kognitiva processer (vetande, lärande, förståelse och verkställande) som demonstrerar hur DMM utvecklas steg för steg. Uppsatsen ämnar därmed att besvara följande frågor: Hur kan workshoppraktikerna ”visualisering av användarresa” och ”designstudio” bidra till etableringen av den gemensamma förståelsen inom myndighetens webbutvecklingsteam? Hur kan webbutvecklingsteamet förstås utifrån de fyra stegen av kognitiva processer; vetande, lärande, förståelse och verkställande om hur DMM utvecklas? Studien rymmer inom ramen för en fallstudie där deltagande observationer och intervjuer har nyttjats som metoder för insamling av empiriskt material. Teorin om DMM av Cannon-Bowers et al. (1993) är studiens primära teoretiska utgångspunkt. Sammanfattningsvis har studien lett fram till att de två workshoppraktikerna – visualisering av användarresa och designstudio – har bidragit till etablering av den gemensamma förståelsen i det stora hela genom social interaktion. Vidare har studiens resultat visat att webbutvecklingsteamet brister i vetandefasen eftersom teamet inte har utbyt relevant information om sig själva genom team building aktiviteter. Detta påverkar sedermera vidareutvecklingen av DMM i nästkommande steg.

The spread of influenza A subtype H5N1 has recently heightened pandemic concern and preparedness for a pandemic influenza virus has become a global priority. Research in risk communication emphasizes the importance of providing the recipients with information they need to make informed independent judgments. This entails understanding how these judgments are made, and what kind of information that serves this purpose. Decisions have been examined in a wide variety of scientific disciplines and produced several interesting methods and models to understand judgment and decisions. These methods and models were investigated and compared with regard to their fit to these conditions. The work in this thesis was oriented toward three main questions. The first question was how to find out how people would react during an emergency. The second question was what kind of research in decision theory could explain and be used to predict these results. The third question was whether a mental model of the threat of pandemic influenza can be described, and what is its implication on risk communication. A mental model approach to explore risk communications was used with qualitative interviews with health care workers in Östergötland, Sweden. The transcripts were analyzed according to methods drawn from mental models research and risk communication to extract influence diagrams. These influence diagrams serves as an abstract representation of the respondents’ mental model of the threat of pandemic influenza. This influence diagram was compared to a corresponding expert mental model developed from literature and interviews with influenza experts. The mental models approach has been shown to provide a description of comprehension with several benefits. One benefit is that the method is a relatively easy way to gather notions in the target population which can be used for drafting risk information. Another benefit is that the existing notions and sense of causal patterns can be described, instead of merely memorized facts. The comparison between the mental models of health care workers and influenza experts revealed both functional and destructive misconceptions. Unrelated information received by the respondents was also shown to be linked together in a way that is in conflict with expert knowledge. This tendency to create causal connections in order to organize knowledge may be important to consider in risk communication.