Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if and how the presence of Fairtrade promotion can change the attitude towards the stores, ICA and Lidl. Background: People‟s attitude towards the brand Fairtrade is predominantly positive and by providing these socially beneficial products, stores wish to strengthen their brand image by communicating their social responsibility through the message of Fairtrade. Previous research has shown that the socially responsible actions of a company can result in an enhanced brand attitude, but also in some cases, the actions taken have had a diminished effect on the attitude towards a brand. It is therefore of interest to research which stores that can gain from Fairtrade promotions in terms of an improved attitude towards the brand. Method: To answer the purpose, a mixed method sequential explanatory design was applied, by collecting quantitative data from an experiment, and qualitative data from a follow-up interview. The emphasis was put on the quantitative phase, where four different experimental groups were manipulated with different internet advertisement; ICA and Lidl, with the presence and absence of Fairtrade promotion. Conclusion: The outcome of the study signified that the attitude towards Lidl was somewhat negative with the absence of Fairtrade and declined with the presence of Fairtrade promotion while the attitude towards ICA did not change regardless of promotion. The results indicate that Fairtrade can not be successfully used as a system of changing brand attitude of a store, if customers do not consider it to be congruent with the initial brand image. It is supported that consistency is the key to success for a brand to be believable and enhance the brand attitude.

This research examined the critical thinking (CT) skills and conceptions of prospective teachers studying at Foreign Language Education Department at Middle East Technical University. In this way, the study intended to contribute to the field of curriculum and instruction by pointing to the currents status while constituting a basis for further actions in teacher education in terms CT. In this research, data analysis was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. A survey, including Student Information Form, and Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal- Form YM Turkish version were utilized for data gathering. Data were collected from 103 prospective teachers in the junior and senior level during the Spring Semester of 2007- 2008 Academic Year. Results demonstrated that the critical thinking (CT) levels of prospective teachers assessed by WGCTA are in medium level. In addition, WGCTA-YM cannot be predicted from reported regular reading activity, CGPA, and gender. Besides, results showed that, prospective teachers make rudiment or vague statements about critical thinking activities and do not point to a common instructional activity. In terms of critical thinking definitions, prospective teachers mostly perceive CT as a cognitive skill. Furthermore, there is a common sense view of CT rather than an understanding based on literature. The results revealed that prospective teachers are short of the essential CT skills and the CT comprehension to be able to raise individuals with CT ability. Therefore, curriculum renovation movements, projects, and research studies to improve critical thinking skills in teacher education should be developed and implemented.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Empowerment through proficiency in mathematics could better not only one’s life, but also one’s chances in study and work. The current study is an exploration of what reflection and mathematics confidence entail during mathematics problem solving. Reflections on experiences with mathematics create awareness of the individual’s level of confidence in the social, psychological and intellectual domains. Personal, strategic and task knowledge enhances meaning and promotes the understanding of mathematics tasks during problem solving. The level of mathematics confidence can be described as either fearful or fearless when solving mathematics problems. Reflecting on achievement, with or without fear, is regarded as vital for higher-order reasoning by means of metacognitive processes, moderates mathematic confidence and fosters achievement. Although research in metacognition is increasing, literature involving mathematics confidence and reflection is scarce. The current study explores this link between reflection and mathematics confidence by focusing on metacognitive reflective skills. A mixed-method design consisting of positivist and interpretivist paradigms is employed. Merging of the quantitative and qualitative findings indicates that metacognitive strategies include reflecting on task, personal and strategic awareness. Regulating understanding, planning, monitoring and evaluating during problem solving occurs in accordance with these active internal processes. Mathematics confidence during problem-solving emerges from experiences relating to a variety of contexts involving mathematics. The findings confirm the dimensionality of mathematics confidence and present sources of participants’ mathematics confidence and metacognitive skills as reflected upon. The schools in the sample represent single-gender (all-boys and all-girls) and co-ed schools and findings should not be generalised to all schools. Reflection on metacognitive knowledge and regulation deepens the awareness of the level of confidence and promotes, to some extent, a knowing of knowledge. The study therefore evaluates the role reflection and mathematics confidence play during problem solving in senior phase mathematics. / Thesis (MEd (Mathematics Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Empowerment through proficiency in mathematics could better not only one’s life, but also one’s chances in study and work. The current study is an exploration of what reflection and mathematics confidence entail during mathematics problem solving. Reflections on experiences with mathematics create awareness of the individual’s level of confidence in the social, psychological and intellectual domains. Personal, strategic and task knowledge enhances meaning and promotes the understanding of mathematics tasks during problem solving. The level of mathematics confidence can be described as either fearful or fearless when solving mathematics problems. Reflecting on achievement, with or without fear, is regarded as vital for higher-order reasoning by means of metacognitive processes, moderates mathematic confidence and fosters achievement. Although research in metacognition is increasing, literature involving mathematics confidence and reflection is scarce. The current study explores this link between reflection and mathematics confidence by focusing on metacognitive reflective skills. A mixed-method design consisting of positivist and interpretivist paradigms is employed. Merging of the quantitative and qualitative findings indicates that metacognitive strategies include reflecting on task, personal and strategic awareness. Regulating understanding, planning, monitoring and evaluating during problem solving occurs in accordance with these active internal processes. Mathematics confidence during problem-solving emerges from experiences relating to a variety of contexts involving mathematics. The findings confirm the dimensionality of mathematics confidence and present sources of participants’ mathematics confidence and metacognitive skills as reflected upon. The schools in the sample represent single-gender (all-boys and all-girls) and co-ed schools and findings should not be generalised to all schools. Reflection on metacognitive knowledge and regulation deepens the awareness of the level of confidence and promotes, to some extent, a knowing of knowledge. The study therefore evaluates the role reflection and mathematics confidence play during problem solving in senior phase mathematics. / Thesis (MEd (Mathematics Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in higher education institutions is not a new tendency. Although this is an innovative way of implementing e-learning in the educational process, there are a few problems concerning these systems. Educators tend to apply traditional classroom ideas and pedagogy in computer-supported e-learning environments, assuming that because these environments allow the interaction that we see in the classroom, traditional pedagogy can be used. Although most of the pedagogical principles that apply to the traditional classroom-delivery method also apply to e-learning, the e-environment supports such interactions in a different manner. Traditional pedagogical principles should be adapted to accommodate the e-learning environment and should form the very basis for inclusion of features in LMSs. These principles should be integrated into the LMS where every feature included is accompanied by explicit guidelines on how to use the feature in such a way that it will effect pedagogically sound instruction. The aim of this study is to determine how an LMS could be used in order to enhance self-directed learning. In order to reach this aim a brief history of SDL was given and a number of SDL models were discussed. These models were analyzed in order to compile a list of guidelines to foster SDL. The first set of guidelines didn’t focus on any specific learning environment and it was necessary to refine these guidelines for an online environment. To be able to refine the guidelines for an online environment, LMSs in general were discussed and a few models for SDL in an online environment were reviewed. The SDL guidelines were further refined for implementation in eFundiTM. eFundiTM is the LMS used at the North-West University, Potchefstroom campus, South Africa. The nature of the AGLE 121 module (a literacy module for all first year students) and the specific functionalities of eFundiTM were discussed and taken in consideration when the final set of guidelines was compiled. The researcher did an empirical study to gather valid and reliable data. A mixed methods inquiry approach was used to obtain reliable evidence. The population consisted of all the students that were enrolled for the AGLE modules over 2 years. These students were divided into 2 groups, the AGLE 121 in 2010 (237 students) and the AGLE 121 (287 students) in 2011. The questionnaire that was used for the quantitative research in this study was based on the Fisher, King and Taque (2001) SDL readiness scale for nursing education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants from each group in order get a better understanding of the data collected from the quantitative research, and to elaborate further on the students’ development of SDL. Findings indicated that the students from the second year of the study did not necessarily improve their SDL-skills. Most of the results from the quantitative data showed small practical significant differences. However, the qualitative data indicated that the SDL skills of the students improved in two of the three factors after they used the newly developed eFundiTM site, in the second year of the study and therefore the researcher is of opinion that the intervention had a positive impact on the students’ SDL skills. / Thesis (MEd (Computer Science Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Given the similar conditions that e-Sport participant and athletes face during competition, itbecomes challenging to scientifically test if traditional applied sport psychological techniquescould affects e-Sport participants in their practice. Altogether, eight participants (age 22-25)participated in the study based on a convenience sample localized in the southwestern regionof Sweden. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three training techniques (i.e.PETTLEP, concentration or physical activity) or placed as a control. The instrument in usewas the CSAI-2 survey combined with a brief semi-structured qualitative interview. The studyranged from 7th till 23rd of April, 2014. The hypothesis suggested that the participant assignedto PETTLEP and concentration training would increase more in (a) self-perceivedperformance and (b) self-confidence while decreasing in (c) cognitive and somatic stateanxiety, compared to the participants assigned to physical activity or as control. The resultindicates that PETTLEP and concentration training could, to a certain extent, be beneficial toenhance self-perceived performance and self-confidence within e-Sport practice. The result isdiscussed especially in relation to the IZOF-multidimensional model. The thesis also includesdiscussions regarding methodological issues (e.g. bias effect) followed by suggestions forfuture research. / Sedan likartade konditioner finns mellan vad en e-Sport utövare och atlet bemöter utmedtävling, blir det utmanande att vetenskapligt testa huruvida traditionellt tillämpadeidrottspsykologiska tekniker skulle inverka på e-Sport utövare i dess utövade. Åtta deltagare(ålder 22-25) deltog i studien baserat på ett bekvämlighetsurval lokaliserade i sydvästraregionen av Sverige. Varje deltagare var randomiserat anförd till en av tre tränings tekniker(i.e. PETTLEP, koncentration eller fysisk aktivitet) eller placerade som kontroll. Det användainstrumentet var CSAI-2 enkäten kombinerat med en kort semistrukturerad kvalitativeintervju. Studien pågick från 7’e till 23’e april, 2014. Den föreslagna hypotesen var att dedeltagare som var anförda till PETTLEP och koncentrations träning skulle öka mer i (a)självuppskattad prestation och (b) självförtroende samt uppvisa minskning i (c) kognitiv ochsomatisk tillstånd av oro, vid jämförelse med de deltagare som var anförda till fysisk aktiviteteller som kontroll. Resultatet indikerar att PETTLEP och koncentrations träning kan, till enviss grad, vara fördelaktig för att öka självupplevd prestation samt självförtroende inom e-Sport utövande. Resultatet är diskuterats synnerligen i relation till IZOF-multidimensionelamodellen. Uppsatsen innehåller även diskussion gällande metodologiska problem (t.ex.fördoms effekter) följt av förslag till framtida forskning.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in higher education institutions is not a new tendency. Although this is an innovative way of implementing e-learning in the educational process, there are a few problems concerning these systems. Educators tend to apply traditional classroom ideas and pedagogy in computer-supported e-learning environments, assuming that because these environments allow the interaction that we see in the classroom, traditional pedagogy can be used. Although most of the pedagogical principles that apply to the traditional classroom-delivery method also apply to e-learning, the e-environment supports such interactions in a different manner. Traditional pedagogical principles should be adapted to accommodate the e-learning environment and should form the very basis for inclusion of features in LMSs. These principles should be integrated into the LMS where every feature included is accompanied by explicit guidelines on how to use the feature in such a way that it will effect pedagogically sound instruction. The aim of this study is to determine how an LMS could be used in order to enhance self-directed learning. In order to reach this aim a brief history of SDL was given and a number of SDL models were discussed. These models were analyzed in order to compile a list of guidelines to foster SDL. The first set of guidelines didn’t focus on any specific learning environment and it was necessary to refine these guidelines for an online environment. To be able to refine the guidelines for an online environment, LMSs in general were discussed and a few models for SDL in an online environment were reviewed. The SDL guidelines were further refined for implementation in eFundiTM. eFundiTM is the LMS used at the North-West University, Potchefstroom campus, South Africa. The nature of the AGLE 121 module (a literacy module for all first year students) and the specific functionalities of eFundiTM were discussed and taken in consideration when the final set of guidelines was compiled. The researcher did an empirical study to gather valid and reliable data. A mixed methods inquiry approach was used to obtain reliable evidence. The population consisted of all the students that were enrolled for the AGLE modules over 2 years. These students were divided into 2 groups, the AGLE 121 in 2010 (237 students) and the AGLE 121 (287 students) in 2011. The questionnaire that was used for the quantitative research in this study was based on the Fisher, King and Taque (2001) SDL readiness scale for nursing education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants from each group in order get a better understanding of the data collected from the quantitative research, and to elaborate further on the students’ development of SDL. Findings indicated that the students from the second year of the study did not necessarily improve their SDL-skills. Most of the results from the quantitative data showed small practical significant differences. However, the qualitative data indicated that the SDL skills of the students improved in two of the three factors after they used the newly developed eFundiTM site, in the second year of the study and therefore the researcher is of opinion that the intervention had a positive impact on the students’ SDL skills. / Thesis (MEd (Computer Science Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012