This thesis explores major texts dealing with pedagogical theory and active learning in the context of a theatre history class. By comparing a class which is taught in the traditional, chronological format relying heavily on lectures to a class taught in a newer, thematic format utilizing active learning the thesis defines what student-centered learning means. Active learning, its benefits, and its implementation are explained and explored, along with the advantages and benefits of teaching thematically instead of chronologically. All of this is applied to a theatre history class in the resulting syllabus in chapter three. The syllabus creates a curriculum which uses themes to teach theatre history, while incorporating active learning activities and assignments throughout, to the benefit of the student. Ultimately, student-centered learning and its importance are explained and demonstrated using research, observation, and creation.

Abstract As college populations are becoming increasingly diverse, institutions must find ways to meet the needs of their nontraditional students. Nontraditional adult learners are self-directed, ready to learn, and are internally motivated to engage in problem-centered learning. The purpose of this study was to expand and refine an active learning seminar in a higher education setting to improve the quality of teaching, student engagement, and retention rates. The site of the study was a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in which adult students over 25 constituted 49% of the population. The faculty members at this site predominantly employed traditional instructional methods. Action research was used to explore 6 faculty members' perceptions of active learning approaches before and after they attended an active learning seminar. Before and after the seminar, observations of student engagement, using the Direct Observation Instructional Management (DOIM) checklist, were conducted. Interviews with the faculty members explored their perceptions and needs regarding use of active learning strategies. Interview data were analyzed thematically and pre and post themes were compared. On the DOIM, student engagement was observed to increase in 2 classes. Results, including strategies that increased engagement, were integrated into a seminar that can be implemented at the same HBCU. Social change implications are that faculty members may begin to use techniques that will more effectively engage adult learners, leading to greater retention of knowledge and a likely increase in the graduation rate of students.

Hobby activities can be viewed through the lens of informal, free-choice learning. A wide range of hobbies combine fun and learning-intensive practices, and can contribute to scientific literacy. Hobby learning involves clear goal orientation, persistence and effort, and often results in more richly and strongly connected knowledge; traits highly valued in both in and out-of-school science learning. In this study, I used koi hobbyists as subjects to discover and explore hobbyists' information-seeking strategies under different learning scenarios. I approached koi hobbyists' learning about koi and their koi hobby in both quantitative and qualitative ways. I designed a Stage of Engagement Model to illustrate koi hobbyists' engagement with their hobby, and adapted Falk and Dierking's Contextual Model of Learning to explain how personal, socio-cultural and physical contextual factors affect koi hobbyists' learning. An instrument was developed to assess koi hobbyists' experience with keeping koi, knowledge about the hobby, motivation/goals, interaction with other hobbyists, and the information-seeking strategies they used under different learning scenarios. I administered this questionnaire to koi hobbyist communities in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and online. Based on the quantitative analysis, the results supported my hypotheses that koi hobbyists chose different information-seeking strategies based on personal contextual factors such as previous experience, motivation and learning goals; socio-cultural contextual factors such as interactions with other koi hobbyists; and physical contextual factors such as the nature of the problems they encounter. Koi hobbyists also chose different information-seeking strategies based upon their stage of engagement with their hobby. The long-term potential of this study is to offer insights into how learners construct their knowledge by applying different learning strategies under different personal, socio-cultural and physical circumstances, and to provide a framework for the future study of other kinds of hobbies and hobbyists that will help to promote public scientific literacy. / Graduation date: 2012

The focus of this study is the development and evaluation of a new partially supervised learning framework. This framework belongs to an emerging field in machine learning that augments unsupervised learning processes with some elements of supervision. It is based on proximity fuzzy clustering, where an active learning process is designed to query for the domain knowledge required in the supervision. Furthermore, the framework is extended to the parametric optimization of the kernel function in the proximity fuzzy clustering algorithm, where the goal is to achieve interesting non-spherical cluster structures through a non-linear mapping. It is demonstrated that the performance of kernel-based clustering is sensitive to the selection of these kernel parameters. Proximity hints procured from domain knowledge are exploited in the partially supervised framework. The theoretic developments with proximity fuzzy clustering are evaluated in several interesting and practical applications. One such problem is the clustering of a set of graphs based on their structural and semantic similarity. The segmentation of music is a second problem for proximity fuzzy clustering, where the aim is to determine the points in time, i.e. boundaries, of significant structural changes in the music. Finally, a time series prediction problem using a fuzzy rule-based system is established and evaluated. The antecedents of the rules are constructed by clustering the time series using proximity information in order to localize the behavior of the rule consequents in the architecture. Evaluation of these efforts on both synthetic and real-world data demonstrate that proximity fuzzy clustering is well suited for a variety of problems. / Digital Signals and Image Processing

The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to investigate whether seventh grade students&rsquo / conditional and procedural knowledge acquisition in, attitude towards, active learning strategies in, and learning value of geometry improve differentially for students having different cognitive styles in project-based learning and (b) to examine how project-based learning affects them. Participants were 97 seventh-grade students in a private school in Ankara. The students were classified into three groups: Field dependent (N=31), field middle (N=35), and field independent (N=31), based on the raw scores of the participants from the Group Embedded Figures Test. Only one treatment (i.e., project-based learning) was conducted for the study, lasting 30 lesson hours. Pre-test and post-test design for the students having three different cognitive styles was utilized. A mixed methods design integrating both quantitative and qualitative data was used for this study. The data were collected through Conditional and Procedural Knowledge Tests, Active Learning Strategies in and Learning Value of Geometry Questionnaire, Geometry Attitude Scale, interview responses, and classroom observation field notes. The quantitative analyses were carried out by using Mixed Design (one between factor and one within factor) Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The results revealed that there is no significant interaction between time and group. There was a substantial main effect for time and follow up analyses for this effect showed that the students achieved large learning gains for all dependent variables. In addition, the main effect of group was not significant. According to interview responses and classroom observation field notes, those quantitative results were attributable to the influence of contextualizing, visualizing, and collaborating geometry concepts with their peers and teacher during benchmark lessons and developing and sharing artifacts for each of the cognitive style group.

Many universities and colleges have placed increased emphasis on teaching excellence in higher education. Efforts to promote teaching excellence vary from the development of alternative new pedagogies as well as research exploring strategies to improve existing teaching practices. Logically, different disciplines employ different instructional strategies to prepare their graduates with specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes. This study examined the instructional strategies used most frequently in the information systems discipline and was inspired by Shulman's (2005) concept of signature pedagogies - the unique but pervasive ways of teaching within a discipline or profession. This dissertation reports a national survey of instructional strategies used across the information systems discipline. The study employed a web-based survey of all information systems faculty members in the United States listed in the Association of Information Systems membership directory (695 valid responses were obtained from 2,835 eligible participants, 24.4% response rate). The research used an original questionnaire identifying 52 different instructional strategies to create a profile of commonly employed teaching practices and to identify whether there are identifiable signature pedagogies in the discipline of Information Systems (IS). Data analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analysis of the survey items, and multiple regression of eight independent variables to predict frequency of instructional strategy used. This quantitative study is the first systematic investigation profiling the instructional strategies and signature pedagogies used in the IS discipline. The results show domination of lecture-based strategies across the information systems discipline. Over 66% of the participants identified lecture as their most frequently used teaching method. Based on the frequency of responses to "Frequently" and "Almost Always/Always", lecture was identified as the most frequently used strategy. The next most commonly employed strategies were interactive lectures (63%), cooperative learning/team-based learning (53%), problem-based learning (53%), whole group discussions (50%), and demonstrations (49%). Participants were also asked to select their "three most frequently used" strategies to identify potential signature pedagogies. Their responses again identified lectures and interactive lectures as the dominant strategies. Viewing these as generic strategies, the following additional frequently used strategies might point to potential signature pedagogies in the discipline: lab activities, case study, analysis and design project, and whole group discussion. This initial investigation focused exclusively on what Shulman (2005) has identified as the surface structure of the pedagogies. Further studies are recommended to also examine the deep and implicit structures to more definitively identify signature pedagogies in the IS discipline. The exploratory factor analysis revealed patterns of instructional strategies usage in the IS discipline. Six factors were identified: in-class active learning strategies, highly-structured active learning strategies, online learning strategies, project-based strategies, writing-based strategies, and portfolio strategies. The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's Alpha) of the six factors ranged from .67 to .87 on each of the factors formed. Composite means of the factors showed that highly-structured active learning strategies and project-based strategies were the two most frequently used groups of instructional strategies groups across the IS discipline. This study further found that six of eight demographic and course characteristics (i.e., gender, rank, age, course level, delivery format, and class size) were associated significantly with instructional strategies usage depending on both the group of instructional strategies and the type of instructional strategies. Years of prior teaching experience and availability of student assistants were the two non-significant demographic and course characteristics. This study profiles the teaching practices currently employed in the IS discipline in the United States. Recommendations for future research are described along with suggestions for improving teaching and faculty development initiatives in the IS discipline. Additionally, possibilities for future research both within the IS discipline and across other disciplines are presented.

Leadership education has been integral to the undergraduate curriculum since the early 1990's. Today, more than 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States offer undergraduate courses in leadership studies and many offer academic credit in the form of a bachelor's degree, academic minor, or certificate. Yet, little is known about those who teach leadership studies courses to undergraduates, the instructional strategies they employ, or the learning goals they set. The purpose of this study was to identify the instructional strategies that are most frequently used by instructors when they teach academic credit-bearing undergraduate leadership studies courses, identify signature pedagogies within the leadership discipline, and assess the learning goals instructors believe are of the greatest importance in their courses. Schulman's framework of Signature Pedagogies provided the framework for the portion of this study which identified the instructional strategies used most frequently. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify patterns of instructional strategies most often used. Fink's Model of Significant Learning and Integrated Course Design provided the framework for the portion of this study that assessed the learning goals instructors believe are of the greatest importance in their courses. Results of a unique web-based survey of 303 instructors that taught academic credit-bearing undergraduate leaderships studies courses between 2008 and 2010 were analyzed using quantitative methods to identify the instructional strategies used most frequently by instructors within the leadership discipline and assess the learning goals instructors believe are of the greatest importance. Participants were solicited through the membership of the International leadership Association, National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs, and NASPA Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education. Data from 303 survey participants were analyzed and results indicated that instructors teaching undergraduate leadership studies courses prefer discussion-based pedagogies (such as class discussion) and instructional strategies that prioritize conceptual understanding and personal growth far more than traditional teaching and learning strategies like quizzes, exams, and lecture or skill-building activities such as role play, simulation, or games. Findings from this study suggest that class discussion--whether in the form of true class discussion or a variation of interactive lecture and discussion--is the signature pedagogy for undergraduate leadership education. While group and individual projects and presentations, self-assessments and instruments, and reflective journaling were also used frequently, overall, discussion-based pedagogies were used most frequently. Survey results also indicated that instructors place the greatest importance on learning goals that emphasize application, integration, and the human dimensions of significant learning more so than the learning goals of promoting foundational knowledge, caring, and metacognition (learning how to learn). These findings offer attributes that a variety of leadership educators have shared as effective for teaching and learning within the discipline and may facilitate the development of new leadership programming policies, provide direction for future research, and contribute to the existing body of literature.

Abstract This study examined the effects of response cards (RC) on student disruptive behavior, responding, and accuracy of responding during whole-class guided-reading instruction in a first-grade classroom. The authors combined two baseline conditions with an alternating treatments design and then replicated the effects across four teacher-nominated students. The first baseline condition was the teacher's typical instruction format, where one student who raised his/her hand was called upon to respond to the teacher's question. The second baseline condition (BL') was the same as the first baseline with an additional control for the number of teacher-delivered questions to the class per session. The RC condition was the same as BL' except students were expected to write their answers on the laminated card and then display upon the teacher's cue. Response cards and BL' conditions were alternated each session. The results revealed that RC implemented by a classroom teacher did reduce students' disruptive behaviors and increased their responding and accuracy during class.

In order to explore the differences in engagement levels between entering and returning community college students, the researcher analyzed 13,300 surveys from the 2007 Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) pilot data set utilizing a quantitative methodology. This study focused on analyzing engagement levels of entering and returning students in six constructs: Active and Collaborative Learning, First Day, Student Effort, Student-faculty Interaction, Support for Learners, and Motivation. After the comparison between the two groups was performed, data were disaggregated by eleven groups to further explore differences. Differences in engagement levels were explored in terms of students’ characteristics such as remedial background, age, gender, full-time status, ethnicity, degree seeking, first generation, and traditional status. The results of this study revealed that returning community college students in general, are more engaged in educational practices associated with persistence than entering students. In addition, findings suggest that with the exception of one variable (overall high school grade average), students commonly categorized as “at risk” or “disadvantaged” (developmental, non-traditional, part-time, first generation, minorities) overwhelmingly held higher levels of engagement in all positive engagement variables of the six analyzed constructs. Furthermore, in an analysis of disaggregated data by eleven groups of students, the following was found: o Students who placed in three developmental courses were by far the most highly engaged group in all positive engagement variables of the six constructs. o Students with the highest level of engagement in the two negative variables of the Student Effort construct (skipped class or came to class without completing readings or assignments) were traditional, 18-19 year olds, not-first generation, and non-developmental students. o Students who reported that success courses had helped them to get the knowledge necessary to succeed in college were overwhelmingly disadvantaged students (developmental, non-traditional, females and minorities). o Developmental students showed higher levels of engagement with regard to college services. o Financial aid advising and skill labs (math, reading, and writing) were the two services with the highest number of statistically significant differences throughout the eleven groups. This study was concluded with recommendations for further research and strategies that community college stakeholders could implement to increase student retention. / text

Η ανάκτηση περιεχομένου από τις επιμέρους βάσεις είναι ιδιαίτερης σημασίας για την σωστή επεξεργασία δεδομένων και την εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων. Παράλληλα, η σωστή επισήμανση των επιμέρους δεδομένων (κείμενο, εικόνα, βίντεο) βοηθά ιδιαίτερα στη σωστή ανάκτηση των περιεχομένων και επακόλουθα στην εξαγωγή των απαραίτητων συμπερασμάτων. Στα πλαίσια αυτής της διπλωματικής, αρχικά, δίδεται μια πλήρης περιγραφή και ανάλυση των παραπάνω ενώ στη συνέχεια υλοποιείται το αντίστοιχο σύστημα επισήμανσης και ανάκτησης περιεχομένου. Πιο αναλυτικά, το σύστημα είναι σε θέση να ανεβάζει και να επισημαίνει κατάλληλα τα περιεχόμενά του στις βάσεις περιεχομένων και δεδομένων. Παράλληλα, μπορεί να ανακτά τα συγκεκριμένα περιεχόμενα από αυτές τις βάσεις ώστε να είναι σε θέση να εξάγει τα κατάλληλα συμπεράσματα. Όλα αυτά υλοποιούνται και ενσωματώνονται με τις μεθόδους ενεργής μάθησης ενώ παρουσιάζονται σε μια web based εφαρμογή. / The content retrieval of individual data bases are of particular importance for both correct processing of data and draw conclusions. Furthermore, proper labeling of individual data (among text, image or video), particularly helps in recovering the correct contents and subsequent export of the necessary conclusions. Within this thesis is firstly given a complete description and analysis of the above references and then is implemented the corresponding labeling and content retrieval system. More specifically, the system is able to fetch and appropriate note the contents of data bases and data contents. Furthermore, it can recover the specific contents of those databases being able to draw of the appropriate conclusions. All of these are implemented and integrated with the methods of active learning represented on a web based application.