States of matter and phase changes are important topics in the teaching and learning of physical science. It is a common fact that learners find it difficult to understand the states of matter and phase changes. One of the main reasons is that learners do not abandon their own naive perceptions when the scientific concepts are taught. They do not connect their experiences outside the laboratory / classroom with their experience in science lessons. Learners consequently hold their own views even after instruction. According to the constructivist view on teaching and learning educators need to take learners' perceptions into account in the teaching of these topics. The first aim with this study was to determine learners' alterative conceptions about the states of matter and phase changes from a literature study. The second was to determine by means of an empirical study the alterative conceptions Grade 11 learners still hold after instruction of the topics. The empirical survey was conducted amongst a group of 110 Grade 11 learners studying physical science. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on this group of learners' knowledge on the states of matter and of phase changes after instruction of these topics. From the results of the questionnaire alternative conceptions could be identified. The results of the empirical study indicate that learners still have alternative conceptions about the states of matter and phase changes after instruction. Alternative conceptions were identified and recommendations on how to teach the states of matter and phase changes more effectively were made. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Learners of chemistry experience problems with the understanding of chemical reactions. One of the causes of this difficulty to understand chemical reactions seems to be that learners do not visualise them, or they do not know how to visualise them. The study aims at probing the learners' perceptions of visual models of sub-microscopic entities (atoms, ions, and molecules), to identify problems they encounter when trying to visualise and to understand chemical reactions. The empirical survey was conducted amongst 100 physical science Grade 11 learners from four high schools in the Bojanala West region near Rustenburg in the North-West Province, South Africa. The investigation was done by means of a questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire were used to identify alternative conceptions and problems that hampered learners' visualisation process. The results indicated that learners had problems with visualisation of the structure and the interaction of basic entities such as atoms, ions and molecules in chemical reactions. This had a negative effect on their understanding of chemical reactions and chemistry. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

In this paper, the aim was to investigate how the Swedish subject is projected in textbooks for grade 6 and grade 9. The study was conducted based on the grounds that teachers need to be aware of the increasing expectations placed on students’ literacyknowledge. To determine how well a textbook helps students to develop these skills, four textbooks’ assignments have been analyzed using textual analysis based on learning theories, literacypractices and Swedish substance conceptions. After completing the analysis, it was concluded that the assignments that practice basic reading and writing skills, are most prominent in the selected textbooks.

The growth, benefits, and challenges of international students in higher education provide compelling reasons to closely examine the social, cultural, and introspective aspects of learning for this population. One area of research that provides insight into the learning experiences of international students is investigations on conceptions of learning. Previous research has found that conceptions of learning guide primary beliefs, experiences, interpretations, and outcomes of learning. Conceptions of learning also provide insight into the ways students choose to approach learning and influence how they interact with courses, classroom environment, teachers, and peers (Marshall et al., 1999). However, research on conceptions of learning has predominantly been with students from Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia with little attention on other geographical locations such as Africa and South America. The purpose of this study was to examine Brazilian and Nigerian international students’ conceptions of learning while enrolled in an American university. No study to date has investigated Brazilian and Nigerian students’ conceptions of learning within the context of the United States, and no other research has examined both groups within the same study. Reflective diaries and interviews reveal an awareness of learning as a process not limited to inside the classroom. Clear themes emerged from both Brazilian and Nigerian students’ regarding their conceptions of learning and what constitutes good teaching. Importantly, findings of this study indicate differences and similarities between Brazilian and Nigerian students’ ideas about learning and actual learning experiences. Participants generally characterized their learning experiences as challenging and the process of adaptation as difficult. Findings of this study provide valuable information to instructors and international programs regarding academic support and assistance for two growing international populations on American campuses, Brazilian and Nigerian students.

Whereas conceptions of giftedness, assessment tools, and models espoused in contemporary psychology are all grounded in the West, there are different ways to look at giftedness. This study investigated Shona culture of Zimbabwe’s conceptions of giftedness with a view to generate theoretical ideas that inform gifted programming from an African cultural perspective. The study was conducted at two levels using different research designs: a) a cultural level seeking to highlight Shona culture’s implicit theories of giftedness and b) an individual level seeking to understand Shona artists’ talent attributions. At the first level, Shona culture’s implicit theories of giftedness were explored by a questionnaire completed by 16 Zimbabwean academics of Shona cultural background. Data were analyzed in thematic frames, using frequency tables to gauge a consensus of responses among the respondents. The second study adopted a grounded theory study approach to generate a mid-range theory of Shona stone sculptors’ talent attributions focusing on how they propel a field of art. Participants in the study were 20 top talented Shona stone sculptors (icons of creative works in Zimbabwe). The Shona model of giftedness that emerged is spiritual, participatory and community focused. The grounded theory generated in the study suggested a dynamic interactive process model (DIPM) which explains how artists’ talent attributions help to propel a field of art. The DIPM posits that creativity emerges from dynamic and interactive processes activated or reactivated (by some trigger stimulus) in interactions evoking one’s unique experiences, cultural consciousness and domain specific consciousness and realized through practice and experience. In the DIPM model, creative vision and inspiration in art evolve from the interplay of six major factors which are not necessarily discrete: a) inherent/inborn potential, b) cultural consciousness, c) individual’s unique experiences, d) activation/reactivation stimulus, e) domain specific consciousness, and f) practice and experience. The DIPM model is based on beliefs systems as the magic carpets by which the artists ascend into the unknown to unleash their creativity. The study suggests that belief systems could become an interesting focus for future studies to understand creativity. The study makes a case for diversity sensitivity in gifted programming.

The current study examined the conceptions of learning held by upper primary children in government schools in Brunei. Previous studies have shown that the conceptions of learning held by students influence the ways in which they approach learning tasks and, in turn, impact on their learning outcomes. However, the majority of these studies were carried out with university and secondary school students, with little research involving primary school children. A phenomenographic research approach was used to describe the qualitatively different ways in which a group of sixteen upper primary children experienced learning in two government schools in Brunei. Data were gathered using scenariobased semi]structured interviews. Iterative cycles of analysis revealed three categories of description depicting three qualitatively different ways in which the children experienced the phenomenon. The three categories of description were: learning as acquiring information (Category 1), learning as remembering information (Category 2) and learning as doing hands]on activities (Category 3). These categories indicate a variation in the ways in which upper primary children experience learning in government schools in Brunei. The conceptions of learning held by the children provide a platform from which educators and policy]makers can consider possibilities for meaningful learning in government schools in Brunei.

Lärare är personen som planerar, genomför och utvärderar undervisning. Eftersom att elevers matematiska resonemang, enligt aktuella styrdokument, ska utvecklas i undervisningen har läraren en given roll som påverkar hur eleven ges möjlighet att utveckla resonemangskompetens. Hur lärare uppfattar matematiska resonemang blir därmed en nyckelkomponent i vad som sker i undervisningen. Kan elevers förmåga att resonera påverkas om lärare uppfattar matematiska resonemang på skilda sätt? I denna studie diskuteras aktuell forskning om matematiska resonemang och dess betydelse i undervisningen. Två lärare har intervjuats och deras utsagor jämförs med den aktuella forskningen. Dessa kvalitativa intervjuer i relation till forskningen har visat sig öppna dörren för mer omfattande forskning inom detta ämnesområde då intressanta slutsatser har dragits, utan att dessa har generaliserats. I resultaten har det framkommit att elevers förmåga att resonera påverkas i en hög utsträckning av lärarens val att antingen ge elever en redan fungerande strategi eller att låta eleverna själva kämpa med en uppgift. Av intervjumaterialet med två lärare har det framkommit att frågeställningen varför saknas helt medan frågeställningen hur är vanligt förekommande. I denna studie har lärarnas utlåtanden blivit intressanta då forskning har visat att om elevers förmåga att argumentera för egna strategival ska utvecklas är frågeställningen varför avgörande. Därmed påverkar lärares uppfattningar om matematiska resonemang elevers förmåga att föra matematiska resonemang. / <p>Matematik</p>

Orientador: Renato Eugênio da Silva Diniz / Banca: Yara Lygia Nogueira Saés Cerri / Banca: Luciana Maria Lunardi Campos / Resumo: O tema Evolução é de extrema importância no campo da Biologia, principalmente por possibilitar uma visão sintética dos conhecimentos acerca dos seres vivos. Em relação ao currículo de Biologia no Ensino Médio, propostas curriculares oficiais vêm sugerindo que: a) os conteúdos biológicos sejam abordados sob o enfoque ecológico-evolutivo; b) a partir de uma abordagem histórica dos seres vivos, sejam evidenciadas as transformações das diversas formas de vida ao longo do tempo geológico; c) seja adotada a perspectiva histórica da produção dos conhecimentos, tendo como pressuposto que a Ciência é um processo dinâmico, em constante transformação e não-neutra, sendo influenciada pelo contexto social de cada época. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: identificar e analisar concepções de professores de Ciências e Biologia sobre conteúdos de Evolução e seu ensino, em um contexto de formação continuada sobre o tema; contribuir para as discussões sobre o ensino de conteúdos de Evolução na disciplina de Biologia no Ensino Médio, tendo como referência a análise das concepções dos professores participantes da investigação. Realizou-se um curso de 40 horas de duração, dividido em 5 encontros, tendo como foco a discussão de questões conceituais sobre Evolução e sua importância no currículo de Biologia no Ensino Médio. Os dados para a pesquisa foram provenientes de: a) questionário para levantar dados gerais do grupo e idéias iniciais sobre Evolução; b) observação e registro dos encontros; c) entrevistas realizadas individualmente com cada professor após o curso; d) planos de ensino utilizados pelos professores. Esses dados foram categorizados e analisados através do método de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram problemas conceituais dos professores, tais como a ocorrência da herança dos caracteres adquiridos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Evolution is a subject of extremely importance in Biology field, mainly because it gives a synthetic view of the knowledge about living beings. With relation to biological curriculum in secondary level, official documents have been suggesting to: a) deal with biological contents in an ecological-evolutionary approach; b) adopt an historical perspective of living beings, giving evidences of life transformations along geological time; c) adopt an historical perspective of the knowledge production, having as requirement that Science is a dynamic process, in constant transformation and non-neutral, being influenced by social context in each time. The purposes of this research was: to identify and to analyse Science and Biology teachers conceptions about Evolution contents and the teaching of these topics, in a teacher education context about the theme; to contribute with the discussions about the teaching of Evolution topics in secondary level, having as references the analyses of conceptions of the participating teachers of this investigation. A course with 40 hours was developed; it was divided in 5 meetings, having as focus of discussion Evolution concepts and their importance to Biology curriculum in secondary level. Data were provided from: a) questionnaire to obtain general data about the teachers and their initial ideas about Evolution; b) observation and writing notes during the meetings; c) interviews conducted individually with each teacher after the course; d) teaching planning used by these teachers. Data were categorized and analysed by the method of content analysis. The results indicated conceptual problems of the teachers, like the occurrence of inheritance of acquired characteristics, the association of Evolution with progress and the idea that the human being is the top of evolutionary process. Difficulties also were verified in deal with philosophical... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

A presente pesquisa disserta sobre as concepções de música de um grupo de crianças de seis e sete anos do primeiro ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola da rede municipal de Porto Alegre. Objetiva investigar construções, relações, reelaborações, modos de agir e pensar sobre música do aluno a partir da interação sócio-cultural no contexto da escola. O marco teórico apoia-se nos estudos da Epistemologia Genética, da Sociologia da Infância e da Educação Musical na Escola, buscando conciliar pontos de vista na interpretação das concepções de música da criança. Constitui material empírico desta pesquisa fatos recolhidos no contexto da sala de aula através de diálogos, entrevistas informais, gestos e expressões do corpo e interações das crianças na participação das atividades musicais. O enfoque metodológico da coleta de dados segue os princípios do Grupo Focal no planejamento e organização das conversas em grupo e definição do papel do mediador. Os dados foram registrados em diários de campo e filmes, posteriormente degravados e analisados. Os resultados desta pesquisa mostram que as concepções das crianças sobre música manifestam-se e elaboram-se em suas verbalizações, nos saberes cotidianos midiáticos que são incorporados ao que compreende sobre música, aos elementos musicais do contexto social que são evocados como referência para dar sentido às experiências da escola, ao modo como demonstra saber o que é música através da corporeidade manifesta nos gestos musicais e que se objetiva no protagonismo ao construir suas próprias concepções. As construções musicais dos alunos e o sentir-se competente nas realizações e atividades também evidenciam concepções das crianças sobre música. A análise das categorias retiradas do material coletado, imbricadas na concepção de música das crianças, evidenciou o papel das trocas sociais na constituição das ideias e conceituações acerca da música, que estão em constante reconstrução se em contato com os materiais musicais. Conclui-se que a criança em processo de interação musical constrói os conceitos a partir da sua ação no contexto musical, dentro e fora da escola, e esses acabarão por se multiplicar, na medida em que a concepção de música que o aluno possui for ampla e respeitada na diversidade de práticas culturais na escola. / This current research discourses about music conceptions in a group of six and seven-year-old children who are on the first grade at a municipal school in Porto Alegre. It aims to investigate constructions, relations, reelaborations, ways to act and think about the students’ music from the school socio-cultural context. The theoretical starting point is supported by studies of Genetic Epistemology, Sociology in Childhood and Musical Education at School searching to conciliate points of view in the interpretation of the child’s musical conceptions. Facts collected from the school context through dialogues, informal interviews, gestures and corporal expressions and the interaction among children in musical activities are empirical material of this research. The methodological focus of the collected data follows the Focal Groups principles in planning and organizing group conversation and the definition of the mediator role. The collected data was registered on field diaries and films that were lately transcribed and analyzed. The results of this research show that children conceptions about music are demonstrated and elaborated when verbally expressed, in daily learning from the media which is incorporated in what they know about music, to musical elements from their social context that are elicited as reference to give meaning to the school experiences, to the way they show what they know about music through the materiality expressed on musical gestures and which becomes concrete on protagonism to construct their own conceptions. The students’ musical constructions and the feeling of being able to accomplish and do the activities also make children’s musical conceptions evident. The analysis of the categories from the collected material inserted on children’s musical conceptions, made evident the role of social exchanges in the constitution of ideas and opinions about music which are in constant reconstruction if they get in contact with musical material. The musical conceptions built by the children of this research show that the musical activities provided by the school, which valorize the potential and the expression of the infantile culture, are essential to their musical development in the school context.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:49:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-11-25. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:26:05Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 Publico-12603a.pdf: 992388 bytes, checksum: 861480d6555c05e4b8286e1e4c525c53 (MD5). Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:26:05Z : No. of bitstreams: 2 Publico-12603a.pdf: 992388 bytes, checksum: 861480d6555c05e4b8286e1e4c525c53 (MD5) Publico-12603b.pdf: 1245841 bytes, checksum: 99483a75f0ab11df02c3b5b688b2e8af (MD5) / O PBL como prática educacional tem se expandido em escolas médicas em todo o mundo e vem sendo acompanhado de extensa discussão e suscitado inúmeras pesquisas a cerca de seus resultados na formação. Este estudo investigou a aprendizagem e currículo com metodologia ativa, PBL, e sua relação com a formação médica, especialmente, as concepções docentes sobre a vivência na aprendizagem ativa e currículo PBL, o papel dos docentes e estudantes nesse processo, os enfrentamentos e repercussões na formação médica. Docentes do 1º, 7º e 11º período do curso médico, tutores, construtores de módulo, coordenadores de módulo, instrutores e preceptores, foram os sujeitos da pesquisa, realizada na Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros – Unimontes, com a participação de 38 docentes. Utilizou-se a complementaridade das abordagens qualitativa e quantitativa, através de um questionário que permitiu o mapeamento do objeto e em seqüência uma entrevista semi-estruturada que aprofundou nos significados. Os dados do questionário foram analisados quanto à concordância e discordância, tabulados e expressos em gráficos e percentis. A entrevista foi submetida à análise temática. Os principais achados evidenciaram que a aprendizagem ativa foi reconhecida pelos docentes como base para atuação profissional futura, destacou-se o desenvolvimento de habilidades para educação permanente, resolução de problemas, trabalho em equipe, raciocínio clínico e para prática médica propriamente dita, embasadas na capacidade do estudante para construção ativa do conhecimento, estudo auto-dirigido, auto-regulação e colaboração na aprendizagem. O currículo revelou-se desafiante pelo compromisso, envolvimento e capacitação docente em alcançar a potencialidade de uma atuação diversificada, facilitadora da aprendizagem e multidisciplinar. Demonstrou também ser um processo de caráter evolutivo e permanente, permissivo a lacunas cognitivas, estruturais e de integração curricular. A avaliação, percebida como norteadora, demonstrou fragilidades indicativas de desgaste na implementação do currículo. Em conclusão, a pesquisa revelou a potencialidade da metodologia em favorecer o desenvolvimento de habilidades profissionais diferenciadas e de ser utilizada como estratégia orientadora de currículos. Restam maiores estudos sobre o impacto que essa estratégia educacional e esses diferenciais de formação possam representar na prática médica no dia a dia, nas academias, nos serviços, nas relações e nas necessidades de saúde das pessoas. e. / The PBL as educational practice has expanded into medical schools around the world and has been accompanied by extensive discussion and raised a number of surveys about their results in the formation. This study investigated the learning and curriculum wit h active methodology, PBL, and its relation to medical formation, e specially, the teachers' conceptions about the experience in active learning and PBL curriculum, the roles of teaching and students in this process, their clashes and effects on medical for mation. Teachers of the 1º, 7º and 11º period of the medical course, tutors, modules builders, modules coordinators, instructors and preceptors, were the research subjects , conducted at the State University of Montes Claros – Unimontes, involving 38 teache rs . Used the complementarity of qualitative and quantitative approaches, through a questionnaire that allowed object mapping and sequencing a semi - structure interview that deepened in meaning. The questionnaire data were analyzed for the agreement and disagreement, tabulated and expressed in charts and percentiles. The interview was submitted to thematic analysis. The main findings showed that active learning has been recognized by teachers as a basis for future professional activities, highlighted the development of skills for lifelong learning, problem - solving, teamwork, clinical reasoning and medical practice itself, based in the ability the student for the active construction of knowledge, st udy self - directed, self - regulation and collaborative learning. The curriculum proved to be challenging for the commitment, involvement and teacher training to reach the potential of a diverse performance, facilitator of learning and multidisciplinary. It a lso demonstrated to be a process of evolutionary and permanent character, permissive to cognitive deficiencies, structural and with curricular integration. The evaluation, perceived as guide, showed weaknesses indicative of wear in curriculum implementatio n. In conclusion, the research revealed the potential of this methodology to encourage the development of differentiated professional skills and be used as a guiding strategy of curriculum. There remain further studies on the impact that this educational strategy and these differential training may represent in medical practice in daily life, in the academies , in services, relationships and health needs of people . / TEDE