The dynamics of the social interaction within the cooperative learning group are accepted and considered to be one of the aspects that will influence the individual learner's feelings regarding the group activity. The impact of the groupings on the quality and quantity of the observable learning within the class is considered. For this study the cooperative learning groupings were manipulated, considering aspects of the learner's social relationships uncovered with the use of a social questionnaire, which the learners completed. These details were summarised by means of a sociometric table and a sociogram. This study approaches the topic from two main perspectives. Primarily observation and naive sketches, from the learners, formed the source of the data and provided the initial perspective on the area of study. From the viewpoint provided in this information specific grouping paramaters were applied to later groups of learners, and a survey conducted. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Socio-Education)

Text in Afrikaans / The phenomenon which was studied in this research was alternative interaction methods. The research question was whether teachers could use these methods to address the problematic behaviour of learners in schools and to create a more positive attitude in learners. The question of a training program for teachers in this regard was also raised. The alternative interaction methods addressed in the literature was amongst others about addressing emotions that hinders the learners' learning process, addressing mild to serious misbehaviour and the positive encouragement of learners, as well as positive feedback given by teachers. The researcher herself used these methods on learners to see what their reaction was in this regard. Information was also gathered from teachers through questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews. The conclusion was that the alternative interaction methods can be effective in addressing the problematic behaviour of learners and thus improve discipline. Learners' attitudes can also be influenced in a positive way when using these methods. Eventually it implies a higher level of job satisfaction for teachers. A training program was compiled for teachers to learn these alternative interaction methods and apply them in future as a contribution to Educational Psychology. / Educational Psychology / D.Ed. (Opvoedkundige Sielkunde)

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study is concerned with a task-based analysis of specific purposes Sesotho learning tasks for the learning and teaching of Sesotho as a second language by personnel of the small business development corporation. A range of authentic tasks in Sesotho has been constructed to demonstrate authentic specific purpose learning and teaching, and hence assessment tasks for personnel in the small business development corporation.

Thesis (MEdPsych))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Teachers have been strategically positioned to mediate information that might lead to increased HIV and AIDS knowledge and preventative measures among school-based youth. This study attempted to understand such teachers' knowledge and attitudes within a particular social context using the Bio-ecological systems model of Bronfenbrenner. The systems model provided the framework for understanding teachers' knowledge and attitudes of HIV and AIDS given their choices in terms of background, knowledge, attitude, and their links with multiple systems. The study was conducted within the qualitative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen intermediate phase primary school teachers from seven primary schools in Phillipi, Cape Town. This study showed that teachers were aware of being part of complex systems. They expressed their difficulties with teaching HIV and AIDS education in the classroom, particularly conditioned by cultural taboos. This study further showed that teachers. interactions, particularly with people living with HIV and AIDS, changed their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, HIV and AIDS and the teaching thereof. It also pointed to the dissonance between teachers' beliefs and behaviours in serving people living with HIV and AIDS. For some teachers, religious beliefs provided the means with which to deal with the HIV and AIDS pandemic. For others, particularly some female teachers, unequal gendered roles and expectations with regard to sex and sexuality in their communities had a direct impact on the spread of HIV and AIDS and safe-sex practices (knowledge) in their communities. Finally, teachers were actively and critically engaged with systems that impact upon them; particularly, the Macrosystem of the Education Department (in this case, the Western Cape), and the Microsystems of the societies and communities within which their schools were located. In summary, the study showed that a contextual, system-related approach to teachers in the classroom highlighted how they related to HIV and AIDS. Such complex, and inter-connected relations cannot be ignored by teachers, educators, policy-makers, material developers and trainers. More studies will give us a better model of the challenges and opportunities facing those who are helping stem the tide of the pandemic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwysers is in 'n strategiese posisie om inligting oor te dra aan jong leerders wat sal lei tot meer kennis van MIV en ook sal voorkom dat dit versprei. In hierdie studie is onderneem om onderwysers se kennis en denkwyse in 'n besondere sosiale verband te verstaan, deur gebruik te maak van die Bio-ekologiese stelsels-model van Bronfenbrenner. Die stelsels-model voorsien die raamwerk om onderwysers se kennis en houdings van MIV/VIGS te verstaan, aangesien hulle keuses maak in terme van hulle agtergrond, kennis, denkwyse en hulle kontak met meervoudige stelsels. Hierdie studie is uitgevoer in die kwalitatiewe paradigma. Halfgestruktureerde onderhoude is uitgevoer met dertien intermediêre fase primêre-skool onderwysers by sewe primêre skole in Philippi, Kaapstad. Hierdie studie het bewys dat onderwysers bewus is daarvan dat hulle deel vorm van ingewikkelde stelsels. Hulle het te kenne gegee dat hulle dit moeilik vind om MIV/VIGS opvoeding te gee in die klaskamer, veral as gevolg van kulturele taboes. Hierdie studie het ook bewys dat onderwysers se interaksie, veral met mense wat met MIV/VIGS saamleef, hulle kennis van en houding teenoor MIV/VIGS, en die onderrig daarvan, verander het. Dit het ook die verskil tussen onderwysers se godsdienstige oortuigings en houdings uitgewys wanneer hulle in kontak kom met mense wat met MIV/VIGS saamleef. Sommige onderwysers het hulle godsdienstige oortuigings gebruik wanneer hulle met die MIV/VIGS pandemie gewerk het. Sommige onderwyseresse veral, het gevind dat ongelyke geslagsrolle en verwagtinge ten opsigte van seks en seksualiteit in hulle gemeenskappe 'n direkte invloed gehad het op die verspreiding van MIV/VIGS en veilige sekspraktyke in hulle gemeenskappe. Onderwysers was aktief betrokke by stelsels wat 'n invloed op hulle gehad het, veral die Makrostelsel van die Onderwysdepartement (in hierdie geval die Wes-Kaap), en die Mikrostelsels van die samelewings en gemeenskappe waar die skole hulself bevind. In opsomming, het hierdie studie bewys hoedat 'n kontekstuele, stelsel- verwante benadering tot onderwysers in die klaskamer in verhouding staan met kennis en houdings teenoor MIV/VIGS. Sulke komplekse en onderlinge verhoudings kan nie deur onderwysers, beleidmakers, materiële ontwikkelaars en afrigters geïgnoreer word nie. Verdere navorsing en studies sal vir ons 'n meer effektiewe model bied van die uitdagings en geleenthede wat onderwysers in die gesig staar en wat sal help om die pandemie hok te slaan.

The impact of personality type on question preference is an area of new endeavor. It is the purpose of this study to determine if a relationship exists between the Sensing and Intuiting dimensions of personality as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the questioning preference of students. A Chi Square analysis of the data revealed a trend. Frequency distributions were used to determine the direction of the trend. Both the Sensing and the Intuiting subjects showed a tendency to follow type with regard to question preference. In other words those subjects showing a Sensing preference on the MBTI tended to choose questions that matched their type preference. The same trend was observed for the Intuitive subjects as well. The data seem to indicate that there is a relationship between personality type and question preference, but more research is needed to describe and define the relationship.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Contém produto: As tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) no ensino de ciências: uma conversa de professor para professor - Produto Educacional / As tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) estão presentes em nossa sociedade e, cada vez mais, é desejável que elas sejam utilizadas como recursos no contexto educativo. Entretanto, para que isso ocorra, sabe-se que há inúmeros desafios e dificuldades, como deficiências na formação dos professores para o uso das tecnologias e falta de infraestrutura adequada. Nesse contexto, sentiu-se a necessidade de compreender como professores, mesmo diante desses desafios, planejam utilizar as TIC como estratégia pedagógica. Dessa forma, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar as concepções de ensino e aprendizagem subjacentes aos planos de aulas para o uso das TIC desenvolvidos por professores de Ciências e Biologia que atuam na rede pública estadual do Paraná. Para isso, privilegiou-se a abordagem qualitativa e, por meio da análise de conteúdo (BARDIN, 1977), analisou-se 35 planos de aula de professores de Ciências e Biologia da Rede Estadual do Paraná que declararam usar TIC em suas aulas, relacionando-os às abordagens de ensino e aprendizagem sistematizadas por Mizukami (1986) e aos correspondentes modelos epistemológicos inerentes a cada uma delas (BECKER, 1995). Os resultados apontam que esses professores atribuem às TIC usos e significados que estão intimamente ligados às suas concepções de ensino e aprendizagem. Pela análise dos dados, há indícios de que nos planos de aula que têm o professor no centro do processo ensino-aprendizagem, o uso das tecnologias tende a ser feito da mesma maneira. Já naqueles planos que valorizam a interação professor e aluno, este assume papel ativo na construção do conhecimento mediado pelas TIC. Um dos fatores que pode estar contribuindo para essa diferença nas concepções dos professores é a formação recebida. De maneira geral, os professores pesquisados que apresentaram indícios de uma prática com características construtivistas cursaram a graduação após a segunda metade da década de 90 (período marcado pela revolução digital e disseminação dos computadores) e têm maior tempo de formação continuada na área educacional e cursos específicos sobre tecnologia. Com o intuito de contribuir com a formação docente, desenvolveu-se o produto educacional, que consiste em um material destinado aos professores de Ciências e Biologia, inspirado no uso das tecnologias em uma perspectiva construtivista. / Information and communication technologies (ICT) are present in our society and it is even more desirable that they could be used as resources in the educational context. However, to make it possible, it is known that numerous challenges and difficulties should be faced, such as deficiencies in teacher training for the use of technologies and lack of adequate infrastructure. In this context, it is necessary to understand how teachers, even those who face some challenges, plan to use ICT as a pedagogical strategy. This research, therefore, has the objective of analyzing the teachinglearning conceptions related to lesson plans that present the use of ICT in the school environment developed by Science and Biology teachers who work in public school. For this, the qualitative approach was privileged and, through content analysis (BARDIN, 1977), 35 Science and Biology lesson plans, written by teachers who work in public schools and that mentioned they have used ICT in their classes, were analyzed. The analysis related the lesson plans to the teaching-leaning approach presented by Mizukami (1986) and the corresponding epistemological models inherent to each one of them (BECKER, 1995). The results show that these teachers attribute to ICT uses and meanings that are closely linked to their teaching and learning conceptions. By analyzing the data, there are indications that in the lesson plans that have the teacher at the center of the teaching-learning process, the use of technologies tends to be done in the same way. On the other hand, in those plans that value the interaction between teacher and student, this assumes an active role in the construction of knowledge mediated by ICT. One of the factors that may contribute to this difference in teachers' conceptions is the training they have received when taking the graduation course. In general, teachers who presented a practice with constructivist characteristics attended the graduation after the second half of the 90's (period of digital revolution) and had more time of continuous training in the educational area and technology courses. With the aim of contributing to teacher training, the educational product was developed and it conconsists of a material for Science and Biology teachers, inspired by the use of technologies in a constructivist perspective.

Text in Afrikaans / The phenomenon which was studied in this research was alternative interaction methods. The research question was whether teachers could use these methods to address the problematic behaviour of learners in schools and to create a more positive attitude in learners. The question of a training program for teachers in this regard was also raised. The alternative interaction methods addressed in the literature was amongst others about addressing emotions that hinders the learners' learning process, addressing mild to serious misbehaviour and the positive encouragement of learners, as well as positive feedback given by teachers. The researcher herself used these methods on learners to see what their reaction was in this regard. Information was also gathered from teachers through questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews. The conclusion was that the alternative interaction methods can be effective in addressing the problematic behaviour of learners and thus improve discipline. Learners' attitudes can also be influenced in a positive way when using these methods. Eventually it implies a higher level of job satisfaction for teachers. A training program was compiled for teachers to learn these alternative interaction methods and apply them in future as a contribution to Educational Psychology. / Educational Psychology / D.Ed. (Opvoedkundige Sielkunde)

A adaptação dos sistemas tradicionais de ensino presencial para o ambiente de ensino a distância introduz diversas mudanças na práxis escolar. Com a ausência do contato direto entre educador e educandos, surge a necessidade de utilização de artefatos tecnológicos que substituam a interação direta. O fórum de discussão é um desses artefatos tecnológicos. Ele possui a característica de ser um elemento catalisador da comunicação entre os envolvidos e pode ser um importante instrumento no processo educacional. Contudo, a natureza não estruturada das mensagens textuais de um fórum dificulta o seu uso como instrumento na avaliação individual do aluno. A análise e qualificação do conteúdo das mensagens armazenadas em um fórum representa um grande desafio para o instrutor. A ausência de uma estrutura formal de representação dos conceitos, crenças e idéias dos alunos poderia ser apontado como um dos elementos que contribuem para esse desafio. A proposta desta pesquisa é o desenvolvimento de um modelo que permita a estruturação e representação das mensagens de um fórum. Essa estruturação considera três aspectos da mensagem: i) os conceitos apresentados, ii) quem os apresentou e finalmente iii) quando esses conceitos foram apresentados. Para validar esse modelo, um programa de computador foi desenvolvido e testado em um fórum do ambiente virtual Moodle. O conceitos desenvolvidos para o Modelo de Estruturação e Representação das Mensagens do Fórum foram utilizados no desenvolvimento desse programa de computador. Por meio desse modelo de estruturação e representação das mensagens, um mapa ou guia é gerado. Esse mapa ou guia pode ser acessado pelo professor ou instrutor. Esse novo recurso desenvolvido, pode ser utilizado como uma ferramenta de apoio à análise ou avaliação do fórum do ambiente Moodle como um todo ou de cada participação individual do aluno. / The traditional learning practices adaptation to the distance learning introduces several changes in school practice. Since in distance learning the direct contact between educators and students does not exist, new technological artifacts become necessary in order to replace direct interaction. One of these artifacts is the discussion forum, which works as a catalyzer element of the communication between involved ones and can be an important tool in the educational process. Nevertheless, non-structured nature of text messages on a forum hampers its use as a tool in individual student assessment. Analysis and qualification of message contents stored on a forum represents an important challenge for instructors. The absence of a formal representation of concepts, ideas and beliefs from students could be designated as one of the factors that make this challenge even harder. This research proposes the development of a model that allows the messages on a forum can be structured and represented. This structuration considers three message aspects: i) presented concepts, ii) who has presented it, and iii) when concepts have been presented. As a means to validate this model, a computer program was developed and tested in a Moodle virtual environment forum. The concepts developed to the Structuration and Representation of the Forum Messages Model were used on this computer program development. Through the use of this model a map or guide is generated. This map or guide can be accessed by the professor or instructor. This new feature can be used as a support tool to analysis or evaluation of a Moodle forum environment.

Investigam-se os perfis de interação de crianças, em processo de alfabetização cursando o ensino fundamental I, com o intuito de gerar subsídios para que professores tenham uma visão mais ampla sobre como esses perfis contribuem na condução de atividades de aprendizagem, de natureza colaborativa, dentro da dinâmica escolar. O trabalho consistiu em um estudo de caso de cunho exploratório, sendo a pesquisa predominantemente qualitativa, de caráter interpretativo, com algum tratamento quantitativo. A fundamentação teórica foi estruturada com base em diferentes visões da aprendizagem, na sociometria e também em testes psicológicos de habilidades sociais. Participaram da pesquisa dezesseis crianças matriculadas no terceiro ano e uma professora pedagoga regente da turma. Todos os sujeitos foram submetidos a um teste de estimativa de habilidades sociais denominado SMHSC. Após ampliação da escala de estimativas de habilidades, os indivíduos foram divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com os perfis identificados. Cada grupo participou de uma atividade colaborativa presente em um artefato digital denominado Mesa TOQ, onde foram coletados os dados que serviram de base para a pesquisa. A análise dos elementos de informação foi realizada inicialmente com base no mapeamento de estímulos e reações emitidos pelos sujeitos, sendo posteriormente realizada uma análise específica somente dos estímulos disparadores de interlocuções. Como principal resultado desta análise, foi proposto um Modelo de Perfis Interativos para Atividades Colaborativas composto por dois eixos – omissão/interação e colaboração/egocentrismo – e oito categorias de perfis interativos. Os principais resultados da pesquisa mostram que, para uma análise mais aprofundada de perfis interativos em crianças, os professores devem levar em consideração não somente resultados de testes de estimativa, mas também análises de situações reais. O estudo mostrou que é possível identificar perfis de interação em grupos de crianças, e que este conhecimento possibilita a definição de estratégias para a composição de grupos de alunos para a realização de atividades colaborativas. O trabalho apresentou como principais contribuições um conjunto de categorias de estímulos para auxiliar professores a compreender melhor como alunos interagem e reagem a estímulos dentro de uma atividade em grupo e também um Modelo de Perfis Interativos para Atividades Colaborativas, apresentado como um plano de representação de perfis de interação. Ambas as contribuições são específicas deste estudo, podendo ser ampliadas para outras situações, a condição de serem feitas as considerações e adequações necessárias, possibilitando que a seleção de alunos para atividades em grupo torne-se um ato mais planejado potencializando os benefícios de atividades colaborativas no ambiente escolar. / This research study investigated interactive profiles in children enrolled in elementary school. The main objective of this project was to generate aids so teachers could have a wider view of how those profiles affect the conduction of collaborative activities in the school environment. The research consisted on an exploratory case study, predominantly qualitative with some quantitative interpretation of data. The literature review was structured based on different views of how people learn, the sociometry and also in psychological tests of social skills. Sixteen children and a teacher took part on this research study. All children were enrolled in the third grade of a public elementary school. All subjects were submitted to a psychological social skills test called SMHSC. The Socially Unskilled Reactions scale of the test was amplified and the subjects were placed into four different groups according to their suggested profiles. Each group participated in a collaborative activity integrated on a digital artifact call TOQ Interactive Table, where the data that supported this research was extracted. The analysis of these facts was initially done through the mapping of stimuli and reactions generated by the subjects and transformed, later on, into a specific analysis of stimuli that had triggered interlocutions. As the main product of this analysis a Model of Interactive Profiles for Collaborative Activities was proposed being structured by two main axis - omission/interaction and collaboration/egocentrism - and eight categories of interactive profiles. The main results of the research show that, for a deeper analysis of interactive profiles in children, teachers should take into consideration not only test results but also the evaluation of real situations. The study showed that it is possible to identify interactive profiles in groups of children, and that this knowledge facilitates the definition of classroom strategies to form groups of students in collaborative activities. The research study presented as main contributions: a collection of stimuli categories that can help teachers to better understand how students interact and react to stimuli within a group activity and also a Model of Interactive Profiles for Collaborative Activities presented as a relative map of interactive profiles. Both contributions are specific for this study with the possibility of being amplified for other situations. This transforms the random selection of students for a given group activity into a planned conscious act, raising the benefits of collaborative activities into a new level.