Federal legislation, the Office of Technology Assessment of the U. S. Congress, and national and state technological standards strongly encourage faculty to use computer technology in their lessons as a teaching tool. Technological standards have existed for several years that strongly encourage the use of computer technology in colleges and universities as a teaching tool. Yet it is difficult for faculty to infuse technology into their teaching. The purpose of this study was to assess and identify the factors that influence business teacher educators to adopt computer technology methods and utilize them in their instruction and to determine the extent to which business teacher educators are adopting computer technology in their teaching. The population consisted of 95 members of the National Association of Teacher Educators for Business Education. Findings from the descriptive statistics revealed that the largest percentage of the business teacher educators were early adopters. They indicated that they always used word processing and almost always integrated computers, projectors, and email in their instruction during the past semester. The study also found certain social, organizational, and personal motivational factors that the business teacher educators considered as very important in influencing them to adopt emerging computer technology for use in their instruction. The means revealed differences within the respondents' personal and employment characteristics and the extent to which they adopt current computer technology as a teaching tool; however, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant difference between these variables. Also, multiple regression analysis revealed that the importance of students, a specific adoption category, and the importance of physical resources (hardware) significantly predicted computer technology adoption. The study also revealed that the business teacher educators in this study have the potential to serve as change agents and role models for their student clientele and peers since the findings suggest that these faculty members are among the first individuals to adopt computer technology for use in their instruction. The findings from the study have the potential to contribute to the development of an adopter profile that could be used to identify potential adopters of emerging computer technology. / Ph. D.

No description available.

This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of English language teachers in Turkey toward computer technology and the extent to which they use technology in language instruction. The data were collected from a sample of English teachers working at public schools all throughout Turkey. In order to ensure triangulation and complementarity, mixed methods research was used combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A questionnaire and semi-structured, face-to-face interview were used in order to collect the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics as well as content analysis were conducted so as to analyze the data. The results of the data analysis yielded positive findings regarding English teachers

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This thesis deals with the use of modern digital technologies in a constructivist approach to physics teaching in elementary school. The thesis describes development of physics teaching strategies from the earliest period to present. Great attention is paid to an analysis and comparison of particular software products including examples. The practical part of the thesis concentrates on simulation of physical phenomena and includes several educational games. A group of the created programs and their outputs were used directly in physics teaching at the elementary school and the lower level of grammar schools. Efficiency of the programs was proved by pedagogical test.

No description available.

Traditionally, geometry at school starts on a formal level, largely ignoring prerequisite skills needed for formal spatial reasoning. Ignoring that geometry conceptualisation has a sequential and hierarchical nature, causes ineffective teaching and learning with a long lasting inhibiting influence on spatial development and learning. One of the current reform movements in mathematics education is the appropriate use of dynamic computer technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Concerning mathematics education, the lecturers may involve the introduction of both dynamic computer technology and mathematics in meaningful contexts that will enable interplay between the two. Pre-service mathematics teachers (PMTs) can be encouraged to become actively involved in their learning and, therefore, less frustrated in their study orientation in mathematics. Therefore, such learning environments may be essential to enhance the conceptual understanding of PMTs. To be able to reach their eventual learners, PMTs' own conceptual understanding of geometry should be well developed. When PMTs have conceptual understanding of a mathematical procedure, they will perceive this procedure as a mathematical model of a problem situation, rather than just an algorithm. This study aimed at investigating the effect of a technologically enhanced learning environment on PMTs' understanding of geometry concepts and their study orientation in mathematics, as prerequisite for deep conceptualisation. A combined quantitative and qualitative research approach was used. The quantitative investigation employed a pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design. A Mayberry-type test was used to collect data with regard to PMTs' conceptualisation of geometry concepts, while the Study Orientation in Mathematics (SOM) questionnaire was used to collect data with regard their study orientation in mathematics. The qualitative investigation employed phenomenological interviews to collect supplementary information about the participating PMTs' experiences and assessment of the influence of the use of the dynamic software Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) on their learning and conceptualisation of geometry concepts. During post-testing the participating group of PMTs achieved practically significantly higher scores in the Mayberry-type test, as well as in all fields of the SOM questionnaire. Results seem to indicate that PMTs gained significantly in the expected high levels of conceptualisation, as well as high degrees of acquisition of those levels during the intervention programme. The main conclusion of the study is that a technologically enhanced learning environment (such as GSP) can be successfully utilised to significantly enhance PMTs' conceptualisation and study orientation, as prerequisite for deep conceptualisation, in geometry. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affects one in every 110 children. Medical and educational research have demonstrated that ASD children's social skills and adaptation can be much improved, provided that interventions are early and intensive enough. The advancement of computer technologies and their ubiquitous penetration in people's life make them widely available to support intensive sociocognitive rehabilitation. Additionally, computer interactions are a natural choice for people with autism who value lawful and "systematizing" tools. A number of computer-aided approaches have been developed, showing effectiveness and generalization, but little quantitative research was conducted to identify the critical factors of engaging and improving the child's interest and performance. This thesis designs an adaptive computer interaction system, called Ying, which detects learning patterns in children with ASD and explores the computer interactive possibilities. The system tailors its content based on periodic performance assessments that offer a more effective learning path for children with ASD. / by Jake Levi Petersen. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web. FboU

A pesquisa visa a estudar as inter-relações1 entre os processos de projeto da arquitetura contemporânea, mediados por tecnologia computacional, e os processos da biologia, com o olhar sob os conceitos da ecologia, apoiados na teoria dos sistemas e na cibernética. As análises pretendem relacionar questões de âmbitos teórico e prático, dentro da observação dos processos de projeto, por meio das seguintes etapas: 1. Introdução e compreensão das atuais mudanças de paradigma nas áreas da biologia, ecologia e ciência da computação, que influenciam diretamente os modos de produção de informação nos processos de projeto digital em arquitetura; 2. Reflexões sobre a teoria da cibernética e sistemas complexos como costuradores dos processos biológicos aos processos de projeto de arquitetura, com implicações em emergência e inovação em arquitetura e 3. Análises práticas da integração de processos de projeto e produção digitais recorrentes das interrelações da arquitetura com a biologia. / The research aims to study the interrelationship between the contemporary architecture design processes, mediated by computer technology and the biology processes, with a view under the concepts of ecology, supported on system theory and cybernetics. The analyzes aim to relate issues on the spheres of theory and practice, within the observation of design processes, through the following steps: 1. Introduction and understanding of the current paradigm shifts in biology, ecology and computer science, which directly holds the modes of producing information in architecture digital design processes; 2. Thoughts on cybernetic theory and complex systems like links between biological processes and architectural design processes, with implications in emergence and innovation in architecture 3. Analyses of study cases about design processes and digital production integration recurrent from the interrelationship between architecture and biology.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.