The purpose of this study was to examine the effect that case-based instructional methodology had on student’s development of critical thinking skills, cognitive engagement and learning as compared to the lecture-based instructional methodology. The experimental design consisted of two grade 12 high school biology classes being taught a unit of study with two different teaching methodologies. Each class was taught half the unit with case-based instruction and the other half of the unit using lecture-based instruction. The two classes were taught opposite halves using these instructional methodologies. The Applied Critical Thinking Measure was used to determine the students’ level of development of their critical thinking skills. The measure consisted of five scenarios that required students to read, identify the objective, ask questions that would clarify their understanding, draw upon existing information or list new information needed, and draw a conclusion with supporting statements. Cognitive engagement was measured by direct observations using a criterion checklist of 14 items. The teacher-researcher and her colleague designed three artifacts to measure student learning. T-tests were used to compare the mean scores of the two classes on each of the artifacts collected for student learning. The inferential statistics showed that student learning improved during the case-based teaching section of the unit. The observations showed an increase in cognitive engagement during the case-based instructional section of the unit. There was no significant difference in the mean scores for students’ critical thinking skills in Class 1, but there was a significant difference in the mean scores for Class 2. The difference appears modest but considering the duration of the study it is a notable development. The scope of this study addresses a knowledge gap regarding the use of case-based teaching methodology in high school. The implications are meaningful in that case-based teaching has shown to have an impact on cognitive engagement and student learning in a high school biology classroom.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether or not presentation and testing methods, conducted in traditional and gamified manners, would affect the scores or mastery of information for college students. This study was conducted using a participant pool of 100 students from a public Midwestern university, though 9 were dropped from analyses. An MANOVA was run on the data collected, and while the overall model was not significant, presentation and testing methods were found to affect participants first attempts on a test, as well as the covariate of Cognitive Engagement was found to have an effect on the highest score participants would earn in up to five attempts on a test.

This study aimed to investigate elementary school EFL teachers¡¦ use of scaffolding strategies for enhancing EFL students¡¦ cognitive engagement, and to examine whether the teachers¡¦ beliefs correspond to their strategy use. The three main focuses of the study included: 1) the types of scaffolding strategies used by elementary English teachers to enhance EFL students¡¦ cognitive engagement; 2) the processes of using these scaffolding strategies; 3) the teachers¡¦ beliefs in using these scaffolding strategies. The present study utilized an exploratory-explanatory case study design. Two elementary English teachers participated in this study. Data were collected from interviews and classroom observations during late-August to mid-October 2007. The researcher carried out all the interviews and classroom observations after she got the two teachers¡¦ permission to participate in this study. Five hours of interviews and eleven hours of classroom observations were collected from one teacher, while one and a half hours of interviews and nine hours of classroom observations were collected from the other. The interview data were audio-taped and then transcribed word by word. The classroom observation data were video-taped, and the useful parts were transcribed word by word. The researcher adopted constant comparative method and the template approach for data analysis. The process of data analysis with the use of constant comparative method included categorizing the types of scaffolding strategies from the collected data and analyzing the two elementary English teachers¡¦ beliefs of using scaffolding strategies. In addition, Gallimore and Tharp¡¦s (1990) six teaching strategies were used as a template to confirm that there was no missing code in the data analysis process. The three major findings of this study are as the following: 1) the two elementary English teachers in this study believed that cognitive engagement is classified into three categories: attention, memory, and critical thinking; 2) the two elementary English teachers in this study used scaffolding strategies in different ways to help students achieve different categories of cognitive engagement; 3) the two elementary English teachers¡¦ different beliefs of cognitive engagement played an important role in their use of scaffolding strategies, and they guided students to achieve different levels of cognitive engagement in class based on their beliefs. The findings of the present study, in general, respond to EFL teachers¡¦ perceptions of ZPD (Vygotsky, 1978) and scaffolding (Wood, Bruner, & Rose, 1976) which pointed out the importance of teacher¡¦s role in assisting students¡¦ second language learning. The expected findings discussed are as the following: 1) similar scaffolding strategies for enhancing students¡¦ cognitive engagement found in the present study were recognized in previous studies; 2) teachers¡¦ beliefs played an important role in teachers¡¦ use of scaffolding strategies. Unexpected, or interesting findings discussed are as the following: 1) one teacher in the present study believed that cognitive engagement was a sequential concept; 2) the two teachers in the present study showed different perceptions of the role of EFL teacher in initiating students¡¦ critical thinking; 3) The two teachers in the present study were not aware that students could be active listeners or learners in class; 4) The two teachers in the present study put more emphasis on students¡¦ memory of vocabulary and sentences than on critical thinking. Three pedagogical implications are suggested in this study: 1) Elementary English teachers need to be aware that critical thinking of some students¡¦ might need assistance from teachers; 2) elementary English teachers need to be aware that step-by-step assistance is more likely to help students achieve critical thinking; 3) teacher education should provide related courses about cognitive engagement, and practice teachers should learn how to assist students in engaging cognitively in English class. Finally, this study suggests three directions for further research: 1) the future study should investigate on teachers¡¦ beliefs or perspectives on using scaffolding strategies in class; 2) the future study should take students¡¦ perspectives into account to identify the effectiveness of scaffolding strategies in enhancing EFL students¡¦ cognitive engagement; 3) the future study should take parents¡¦ expectation or perceptions of English teaching into account to investigate how parents¡¦ expectations and feedback influence teachers¡¦ scaffolding strategies.

Abstract Retail business leaders can improve profitability when they implement employee engagement strategies. The purpose of this single case study was to explore employee engagement strategies retail leaders use to improve profitability. The population included 6 department leaders in a single retail organization in the southeastern United States. The conceptual framework included Kahn's employee engagement theory. Using Yin's 5-step data analysis process, data from semistructured interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to gain employee engagement strategies that retail leaders use to improve profitability. Four major themes emerged that retail business leaders use to increase profitability: having daily staff interaction, hiring the right people for the job, creating a positive work environment, and having regular one-on-one interaction with every staff member. The implications for positive social change include a more engaged workforce, which could encourage business owners to reinvest profits and offer sustained employment to a workforce, which may contribute to the economic well-being of communities.

MELO, Maria Bernadete Oriá de. Engajamento discente no uso de redes sociais em contexto escolar. 2016. 162f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-graduação em Educação Brasileira, Fortaleza (CE), 2016. / Submitted by Gustavo Daher (gdaherufc@hotmail.com) on 2016-10-10T12:14:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mbomelo.pdf: 5192425 bytes, checksum: b32510df73a2fe12eb23d285416151f3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-10-11T13:24:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mbomelo.pdf: 5192425 bytes, checksum: b32510df73a2fe12eb23d285416151f3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-11T13:24:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mbomelo.pdf: 5192425 bytes, checksum: b32510df73a2fe12eb23d285416151f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016 / This study had the main research field of the use of social networks in school as a place of construction of student engagement. integration processes of digital technologies in education and the challenges that are set for the creation of this culture in educational institutions leads us to question traditional knowledge and practices in basic education. You need to check how the use of these digital virtual spaces in school can contribute to student engagement in this case typified as behavioral and cognitive. The research had as main prerogative: how to process the student engagement in a learning experience with the support of social networks developed in schools. In this light, the study aimed mainly analyze the student engagement in a group of student monitors in training belonging to the elementary school in a public school in the state of Ceara in carrying out educational activities with the support of social network Facebook. The research adopted a qualitative approach, based on the intervention research method. Following this premise, it created a project of intervention in pursuit of the application of this methodology with the proposed theme referred to the aspects of environmental sustainability and technology. The survey data were obtained through self-registration of the action of the students (views, likes, posts, shares, and comments) on the social network. The frequency of these actions was used as the behavioral engagement indicator, while the content of publications and comments were the basis for the understanding of cognitive engagement. The results showed the presence of behavioral engagement, given that there were often record the use of resources of the social network during the project. With regard to cognitive engagement, four subcategories were identified that typify the actions taken by students in the social network: engagement in the search for information and communication; reflection on the action; critical engagement and emancipatory engagement. The presence of these subcategories indicated that the participation of students went far beyond mere record of participation, but also presented for engagement with content and practices discussed in the implementation of the proposed activities. The results highlighted that social networks, a place that today is an evolution in relational forms of communication, seen as web content and knowledge can be used as a means of engagement of students and are inserted in the school routine. / Este estudo teve como principal campo de investigação o uso das redes sociais na escola como lugar de construção do engajamento discente. Os processos de inserção das tecnologias digitais na educação e os desafios que estão postos para a constituição desta cultura nas instituições de ensino nos leva a questionar saberes e práticas tradicionais na educação básica. É preciso verificar como o emprego destes espaços virtuais digitais na escola pode contribuir para o engajamento discente, neste caso, tipificados como comportamental e cognitivo. A pesquisa teve como principal prerrogativa: como se processa o engajamento discente em uma experiência de aprendizagem com apoio de redes sociais desenvolvida em contexto escolar. Sob este prisma, o estudo objetivou principalmente analisar o engajamento discente em um grupo de alunos monitores em formação pertencentes ao Ensino Fundamental de uma escola municipal do estado do Ceará na realização de atividades pedagógicas com o apoio da rede social Facebook. A investigação adotou a abordagem qualitativa, baseado no método da pesquisa-intervenção. Seguindo esta premissa, foi criado um projeto de intervenção na busca da aplicação desta metodologia, cujo tema proposto se referiu aos aspectos da sustentabilidade ambiental e tecnologia. Os dados da pesquisa foram obtidos por meio do próprio registro da ação dos discentes (visualizações, curtidas, publicações, compartilhamentos e comentários) na rede social. A frequência dessas ações foi usada como indicador do engajamento comportamental, enquanto o conteúdo das publicações e comentários serviram de base para a compreensão do engajamento cognitivo. Os resultados apontaram para a presença do engajamento comportamental, tendo em vista que houve registro de frequência na utilização dos recursos da rede social durante o projeto. No que se refere ao engajamento cognitivo, foram identificadas quatro subcategorias que tipificaram as ações realizadas pelos alunos na rede social: engajamento na busca da informação e comunicação; reflexão sobre a ação; engajamento crítico e engajamento emancipatório. A presença dessas subcategorias indicaram que o engajamento dos alunos foi muito além do mero registro de participação, mas apresentou-se também por um envolvimento com os conteúdos e práticas discutidas na execução das atividades propostas. Os resultados destacaram que as redes sociais, lugar que representa hoje uma evolução nas formas relacionais de comunicação, vista como teia de conteúdos e conhecimentos, podem ser utilizadas como meio de engajamento dos estudantes e estarem inseridas no cotidiano da escola.

abstract: This study tested the effects of two kinds of cognitive, domain-based preparation tasks on learning outcomes after engaging in a collaborative activity with a partner. The collaborative learning method of interest was termed "preparing-to-interact," and is supported in theory by the Preparation for Future Learning (PFL) paradigm and the Interactive-Constructive-Active-Passive (ICAP) framework. The current work combined these two cognitive-based approaches to design collaborative learning activities that can serve as alternatives to existing methods, which carry limitations and challenges. The "preparing-to-interact" method avoids the need for training students in specific collaboration skills or guiding/scripting their dialogic behaviors, while providing the opportunity for students to acquire the necessary prior knowledge for maximizing their discussions towards learning. The study used a 2x2 experimental design, investigating the factors of Preparation (No Prep and Prep) and Type of Activity (Active and Constructive) on deep and shallow learning. The sample was community college students in introductory psychology classes; the domain tested was "memory," in particular, concepts related to the process of remembering/forgetting information. Results showed that Preparation was a significant factor affecting deep learning, while shallow learning was not affected differently by the interventions. Essentially, equalizing time-on-task and content across all conditions, time spent individually preparing by working on the task alone and then discussing the content with a partner produced deeper learning than engaging in the task jointly for the duration of the learning period. Type of Task was not a significant factor in learning outcomes, however, exploratory analyses showed evidence of Constructive-type behaviors leading to deeper learning of the content. Additionally, a novel method of multilevel analysis (MLA) was used to examine the data to account for the dependency between partners within dyads. This work showed that "preparing-to-interact" is a way to maximize the benefits of collaborative learning. When students are first cognitively prepared, they seem to make the most efficient use of discussion towards learning, engage more deeply in the content during learning, leading to deeper knowledge of the content. Additionally, in using MLA to account for subject nonindependency, this work introduces new questions about the validity of statistical analyses for dyadic data. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Psychology 2013

nÃo hà / Este estudo teve como principal campo de investigaÃÃo o uso das redes sociais na escola como lugar de construÃÃo do engajamento discente. Os processos de inserÃÃo das tecnologias digitais na educaÃÃo e os desafios que estÃo postos para a constituiÃÃo desta cultura nas instituiÃÃes de ensino nos leva a questionar saberes e prÃticas tradicionais na educaÃÃo bÃsica. à preciso verificar como o emprego destes espaÃos virtuais digitais na escola pode contribuir para o engajamento discente, neste caso, tipificados como comportamental e cognitivo. A pesquisa teve como principal prerrogativa: como se processa o engajamento discente em uma experiÃncia de aprendizagem com apoio de redes sociais desenvolvida em contexto escolar. Sob este prisma, o estudo objetivou principalmente analisar o engajamento discente em um grupo de alunos monitores em formaÃÃo pertencentes ao Ensino Fundamental de uma escola municipal do estado do Cearà na realizaÃÃo de atividades pedagÃgicas com o apoio da rede social Facebook. A investigaÃÃo adotou a abordagem qualitativa, baseado no mÃtodo da pesquisa-intervenÃÃo. Seguindo esta premissa, foi criado um projeto de intervenÃÃo na busca da aplicaÃÃo desta metodologia, cujo tema proposto se referiu aos aspectos da sustentabilidade ambiental e tecnologia. Os dados da pesquisa foram obtidos por meio do prÃprio registro da aÃÃo dos discentes (visualizaÃÃes, curtidas, publicaÃÃes, compartilhamentos e comentÃrios) na rede social. A frequÃncia dessas aÃÃes foi usada como indicador do engajamento comportamental, enquanto o conteÃdo das publicaÃÃes e comentÃrios serviram de base para a compreensÃo do engajamento cognitivo. Os resultados apontaram para a presenÃa do engajamento comportamental, tendo em vista que houve registro de frequÃncia na utilizaÃÃo dos recursos da rede social durante o projeto. No que se refere ao engajamento cognitivo, foram identificadas quatro subcategorias que tipificaram as aÃÃes realizadas pelos alunos na rede social: engajamento na busca da informaÃÃo e comunicaÃÃo; reflexÃo sobre a aÃÃo; engajamento crÃtico e engajamento emancipatÃrio. A presenÃa dessas subcategorias indicaram que o engajamento dos alunos foi muito alÃm do mero registro de participaÃÃo, mas apresentou-se tambÃm por um envolvimento com os conteÃdos e prÃticas discutidas na execuÃÃo das atividades propostas. Os resultados destacaram que as redes sociais, lugar que representa hoje uma evoluÃÃo nas formas relacionais de comunicaÃÃo, vista como teia de conteÃdos e conhecimentos, podem ser utilizadas como meio de engajamento dos estudantes e estarem inseridas no cotidiano da escola. / This study had the main research field of the use of social networks in school as a place of construction of student engagement. integration processes of digital technologies in education and the challenges that are set for the creation of this culture in educational institutions leads us to question traditional knowledge and practices in basic education. You need to check how the use of these digital virtual spaces in school can contribute to student engagement in this case typified as behavioral and cognitive. The research had as main prerogative: how to process the student engagement in a learning experience with the support of social networks developed in schools. In this light, the study aimed mainly analyze the student engagement in a group of student monitors in training belonging to the elementary school in a public school in the state of Ceara in carrying out educational activities with the support of social network Facebook. The research adopted a qualitative approach, based on the intervention research method. Following this premise, it created a project of intervention in pursuit of the application of this methodology with the proposed theme referred to the aspects of environmental sustainability and technology. The survey data were obtained through self-registration of the action of the students (views, likes, posts, shares, and comments) on the social network. The frequency of these actions was used as the behavioral engagement indicator, while the content of publications and comments were the basis for the understanding of cognitive engagement. The results showed the presence of behavioral engagement, given that there were often record the use of resources of the social network during the project. With regard to cognitive engagement, four subcategories were identified that typify the actions taken by students in the social network: engagement in the search for information and communication; reflection on the action; critical engagement and emancipatory engagement. The presence of these subcategories indicated that the participation of students went far beyond mere record of participation, but also presented for engagement with content and practices discussed in the implementation of the proposed activities. The results highlighted that social networks, a place that today is an evolution in relational forms of communication, seen as web content and knowledge can be used as a means of engagement of students and are inserted in the school routine.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of school-to-work programs on cognitive engagement from the students’ perspective. The study was guided by the question: “How do students perceive their cognitive engagement in learning when participating in school-to-work transition programs”? Using a case study methodology, data were collected from ten students at a rural high school using semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results show an increase in cognitive engagement and the motivation to graduate as a result of participation in the school-to-work program. This increase in cognitive engagement is attributed to the students’ career preparedness, and the hands-on practical experiences gained from the program. By studying the students’ perception of their own engagement we gain a better understanding of the contributing factors that lead to increased cognitive engagement and motivation levels.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of school-to-work programs on cognitive engagement from the students’ perspective. The study was guided by the question: “How do students perceive their cognitive engagement in learning when participating in school-to-work transition programs”? Using a case study methodology, data were collected from ten students at a rural high school using semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results show an increase in cognitive engagement and the motivation to graduate as a result of participation in the school-to-work program. This increase in cognitive engagement is attributed to the students’ career preparedness, and the hands-on practical experiences gained from the program. By studying the students’ perception of their own engagement we gain a better understanding of the contributing factors that lead to increased cognitive engagement and motivation levels.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of school-to-work programs on cognitive engagement from the students’ perspective. The study was guided by the question: “How do students perceive their cognitive engagement in learning when participating in school-to-work transition programs”? Using a case study methodology, data were collected from ten students at a rural high school using semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results show an increase in cognitive engagement and the motivation to graduate as a result of participation in the school-to-work program. This increase in cognitive engagement is attributed to the students’ career preparedness, and the hands-on practical experiences gained from the program. By studying the students’ perception of their own engagement we gain a better understanding of the contributing factors that lead to increased cognitive engagement and motivation levels.