Thesis (M.A. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The study explored essay writing errors of English First Additional Language (EFAL) FET rural learners. The aim of the study was to analyse essay writing errors of the EFAL FET learners in rural schools. EFAL Grade 11 learners together with their educators from 4 circuits in Mopani West District of Limpopo Province (LP), South Africa (SA), participated in the study. The learners’ 40 essays were analysed. Additionally, the learners and educators were interviewed and the data generated were analysed. A qualitative Content Analysis (CA) research method was used to collect data. The sample was made up of 3 instruments; an essay checklist for the 40 essays, EFAL learners’ group interviews that consisted of 4 equal groups made up of 10 learners per school, and interviews with 4 educators from each of the school represented. N – Vivo was used for data transcription, storage and analysis. Errors populated in the checklist were arranged into smaller units, identified, analysed, described and reported. Data obtained through semi-structured interviews with EFAL learners and educators were transcribed and analysed thematically. The analysis of the EFAL FET rural learners’ essay writing errors revealed weaknesses pertaining to choice of essay topics, proofreading, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Orientador: Dagoberto Buim Arena / Resumo: Fundamentado nos estudos de Bakhtin, Volóchinov, Medviédev, Vigotski, Leontiev, Elkonin, Davidov, Davidov e Márkova, Jolibert e Miller o estudo teve como objetivo compreender o processo de formação de autoria em crianças quando criam contos. A pesquisa de natureza dialógica (Bakhtin; Volóchinov) foi realizada em uma escola pública de Uberaba, Minas Gerais, com nove crianças de nove e dez anos, do Tempo Integral, durante sete meses, no ano de 2017. A metodologia utilizada na geração de dados foi o experimento educativo dialógico e concretizou-se em três etapas: observação in loco das crianças, o desenvolvimento do Plano de unidade didática (Libâneo e Freitas) e a entrega do livro produzido por elas. O projeto de aprendizagem foi denominado pelas crianças de Contos imaginários e histórias reais, o mesmo nome do livro no qual registraram suas criações literárias. Os instrumentos de coleta dos dados foram as filmagens, as gravações de áudios, as fotos, os jogos e os discursos orais e escritos. Os dados foram organizados em pastas, no caderno de registro da pesquisadora, e depois transcritos. A apresentação e a análise foram organizadas em cinco núcleos temáticos: Jogos limítrofes: atividade da imaginação criadora; criação literária: desenvolvimento da imaginação criadora; autoria: tessitura do signo ideológico; autoria: responsividade e responsabilidade; e autoria: traços de singularidade. A análise baseada em Geraldi, Jakubinskij, Brait, Faraco, Duarte, Zilberman, além dos autor... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Based on the studies of Bakhtin, Volochinov, Medvedev, Vigotski, Leontiev, Elkonin, Davidov, Davidov and Márkova, Jolibert and Miller, the study aimed to understand the process of author formation in children when they create tales. The dialogical research (Bakhtin; Volóchinov) was carried out in a public school in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, with nine nine- and ten-year-old full-time children for seven months in 2017. The methodology used to generate the data was the educational-dialogical experiment and was implemented in three stages: on-site observation of the children, the development of the didactic unit plan (Libiliar and Freitas) and the delivery of the book produced by them. The learning project was called by the children Imaginary Tales and Real Stories, the same name as the book in which they recorded their literary creations. The data collection instruments were filming, audio recordings, photos, games and oral and written speeches. Data were organized in folders, in the researcher's notebook, and then transcribed. The presentation and analysis were organized in five thematic nuclei: Border games: activity of the creative imagination; literary creation: activity of the creative imagination; authorship: tessitura of the ideological sign; authorship: responsiveness and responsibility; and authorship: singularity traits. The analysis based on Geraldi, Jakubinskij, Brait, Faraco, Duarte, Zilberman, besides the authors already mentioned, made possible the following conclusi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

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This thesis explores the transformative potential of the co-authorship dynamic between game developers and players in The Squared Circle, an abstract video game designed to facilitate personality development. Drawing inspiration from existentialist philosophy, psychotherapy, and game design, the study examines the intricate interplay between gameplay mechanics, narrative depth, and psychological exploration. Employing a research-through-design methodology, the researcher analyzes The Squared Circle’s elements through psychological, philosophical, and ludological literature. The game's initial focus on engaging gameplay mechanics evolved to incorporate textual significance and symbolic play, inspired by Carl Jung's theory of Individuation. Through playtesting, observations, and interviews, the study investigates the psychological and philosophical effects of the game. Players engage in symbolic representation and journaling, delving into their unconscious aspects and exploring personal experiences within the game world. The co-authorship dynamic fosters introspection expands self-understanding, and invites transformative experiences. The findings highlight the significance of journaling and symbolic play as tools for personal growth and self-expression within the game. Players navigate the symbolic landscape, uncover hidden meanings, and co-create their own narrative, leading to increased self-awareness and psychological integration. This research contributes to understanding games as a medium for personal transformation and psychological exploration. The study underscores the importance of co-authorship, journaling, and symbolic representation in designing games that facilitate introspection, meaningful experiences, and the development of the player's personality.

Software development is a process fraught with unpredictability, in part because software is created by people. Human interactions add complexity to development processes, and collaborative development can become a liability if not properly understood and managed. Recent years have seen an increase in the use of data mining techniques on publicly-available repository data with the goal of improving software development processes, and by extension, software quality. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of author entropy as a metric for quantifying interaction and collaboration (both within individual files and across projects), present results from two empirical observational studies of open-source projects, identify and analyze authorship and collaboration patterns within source code, demonstrate techniques for visualizing authorship patterns, and propose avenues for further research.

The Book of Mormon, having long been a work of great interest to me, became a natural area of study for my Master's program. I was directed by Roy W. Doxey and Paul R. Chessman who brought to my attention several areas of the Book of Mormon which needed to be investigated for clarification and deeper understanding. The area which was settled on centered around a book which was written seven years prior to the publishing of the Book of Mormon. The controversy which surrounds the View of the Hebrews by Ethan Smith is similar to the "Spalding Manuscript" controversy which for many years plagued believers of the Book of Mormon. Similar in the sense that some are now claiming that Joseph Smith plagerized Ethan Smith when writing the Book of Mormon, this problem is different in that the Solomon Spalding controversy raged only while his manuscript was unavailable while the Ethan Smith controvery is warming as more people become aware of View of Hebrews.

In order to experience unconditional love, prejudices must be exposed and overcome. People often meet others with a disability or handicap and unknowingly treat these individuals negatively. As a middle school teacher, I have often witnessed students behaving cruelly towards those that are different. When my dog became a paraplegic I was inspired to develop a project to assist young readers in the development of conscientious actions towards individuals with disabilities. This document chronicles the development, procedures, and outcomes of the process behind that artistic endeavor. The artistic elements of this thesis project are a written children's storybook and an educational interactive Web site to further teach inclusiveness to young readers. The images are real photos that have been manipulated to look like illustrations that enhance elements that are visually appealing to children in order to increase the images' communication value. The site has been designed to integrate the look and feel of the book, complementing and referencing it