This thesis investigates personal knowledge development in online learning environments and the impact that personal values have on it. Personal knowledge development was investigated from the perspective of Nonaka’s SECI model of organisational knowledge creation. This model served as the basis for an adapted model that conceptualises personal knowledge development in online learning at the individual level. The personal value types of the Schwartz Value Survey and the Portrait Values Questionnaire were adopted to measure personal values and their impact on personal knowledge development in online learning environments. Three data collection approaches were used. First, an exploratory study was conducted which elicited online learners’ experiences of their personal knowledge development in online learning; this study used online discussion forums for data collection. Second, a Delphi study was carried out. Experts were asked which of the ten individual-level value types by Schwartz are likely to be particularly relevant in the context of online learning. Third, an online survey was created. Its aim was to measure the impact that personal values and background variables, such as gender and age, have on personal knowledge development in online learning. A measurement instrument was devised that measures three of the SECI modes, namely Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation. This instrument measures the magnitude of online learners’ Externalisation and Combination activities as well as their level of Internalisation, i.e. the outcomes of personal knowledge development. Results of the exploratory study show that there are widely diverging experiences of personal knowledge development in online learning. The literature review suggests that the cultural situatedness of an online learning environment is an important influencing factor on personal knowledge development. The results of the Delphi study suggest that Self-Direction, Stimulation, and Achievement are particularly relevant value types in the context investigated here. Finally, the online survey confirms this view, as all three value types were found to be positively correlated with Externalisation, Combination, and Internalisation, with the exception of the Achievement-Combination relationship. A modified version of the SECI model is proposed, which extends the applicability of the original SECI model from the organisational to the individual level. It is argued that this model is suitable to describe personal knowledge development in the context of online learning. The study also contributes to closing the gap in research on the impact of personal values in the context investigated in this study. Moreover, a measurement instrument was created that can be used to measure Externalisation and Combination, i.e. personal knowledge development processes, and Internalisation, i.e. personal knowledge development outcomes.

The European Board in March of the year 2000 in Lisbon was a determinant moment in the politics and actions of the European Union. Its conclusions confirm that Europe entered the century of knowledge. Information and communication technologies’ integration into school is the keystone of part of the education reform of the country on which success depends on the education of a new society citizen of knowledge, as well as, the success of the whole educational reform, the social and economic progress. By educating the member of the society of knowledge, a school pays special attention to the personal characteristics which are very important in modern life- initiative, responsibility, independency, ability to communicate, work with others and solve problems. Students have to be able to use information and communication technology in collaboration, spreading information, in communication with students of the same age, with teachers and other individuals, with social and state organizations. By spreading new technologies into education, an exceptional attention should be paid to the pedagogues’ professional development and their social universality. It is important for teachers to gain some elementary knowledge and skills about the technology of information and to constantly improve their qualification and to renew their knowledge. However the teacher training system still is not in line with the changes made at schools in the latter decade. This system is not ready to... [to full text]

The main scientific problems investigated in this work deal with the creation of flexible open source e-Learning content and services system (referred here as Digital Library of Educational resources and services – DLE) providing learning customisation possibilities for its users. Standards and interoperability are key factors in the success of the introduction of such kind of DLEs, and therefore the main research object of the work is investigation and proposal of interoperability guidelines for DLE components. The main problem is not the identification of suitable standards and specifications, but the adoption of these standards and specifications and their application in e-Learning practice. Approaches concerning LOM Standard Application Profiles (APs) and curricula mapping are the main topics created and investigated here because they could provide more quick and convenient LOs search possibilities in the repositories for the users. Another key factor is quality of DLE systems, and therefore one more research object of the work is the effectiveness of methods of DLE components evaluation. DLE components’ complex evaluation tools suitable for systems based on flexible approach have been created. These tools should include a number of criteria to evaluate LOs reusability level and VLEs adaptation capabilities. Practice of flexible DLE software creation and development for Lithuanian primary, secondary and vocational education based of flexible approach is presented in more... [to full text] / Disertacijoje nagrinėjamos lanksčios atvirosios el. mokymosi turinio ir paslaugų sistemos (t. y. skaitmeninės švietimo išteklių ir paslaugų bibliotekos, angl. Digital Library of Educational Resources and Services) kūrimo bendrajam lavinimui ir profesiniam mokymui mokslinės problemos. Nagrinėjama skaitmeninės švietimo išteklių ir paslaugų bibliotekos (toliau – skaitmeninės bibliotekos) schema ir reikalavimai. Pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas bibliotekos lankstumui, t. y. biblioteka turi teikti naudotojams individualizuoto mokymosi galimybes. Skaitmeninės bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių suderinamumas (sąveikos geba, arba sąveikumas, angl. Interoperability) ir standartai yra esminiai bibliotekos funkcionavimo veiksniai, todėl pagrindinis disertacijos tikslas yra bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių sąveikumo rekomendacijų kūrimas. Sprendžiami uždaviniai: standartų parinkimas, jų tinkamumas, adaptavimas ir taikymas švietimui. Pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas mokymosi objektų (MO, angl. Learning Objects) metaduomenų standarto (LOM – angl. Leaning Objects Metadata) taikymo modeliui tobulinti ir bendrųjų programų sąryšiui su MO. Daug dėmesio skiriama skaitmeninės bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių kokybei vertinti, todėl bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių kompleksinių vertinimo kriterijų, pagrįstų bibliotekos lankstumo ir sudedamųjų dalių sąveikumo rekomendacijomis, kūrimas taip pat yra darbo tikslas.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamos lanksčios atvirosios el. mokymosi turinio ir paslaugų sistemos (t. y. skaitmeninės švietimo išteklių ir paslaugų bibliotekos, angl. Digital Library of Educational Resources and Services) kūrimo bendrajam lavinimui ir profesiniam mokymui mokslinės problemos. Nagrinėjama skaitmeninės švietimo išteklių ir paslaugų bibliotekos (toliau – skaitmeninės bibliotekos) schema ir reikalavimai. Pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas bibliotekos lankstumui, t. y. biblioteka turi teikti naudotojams individualizuoto mokymosi galimybes. Skaitmeninės bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių suderinamumas (sąveikos geba, arba sąveikumas, angl. Interoperability) ir standartai yra esminiai bibliotekos funkcionavimo veiksniai, todėl pagrindinis disertacijos tikslas yra bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių sąveikumo rekomendacijų kūrimas. Sprendžiami uždaviniai: standartų parinkimas, jų tinkamumas, adaptavimas ir taikymas švietimui. Pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas mokymosi objektų (MO, angl. Learning Objects) metaduomenų standarto (LOM – angl. Leaning Objects Metadata) taikymo modeliui tobulinti ir bendrųjų programų sąryšiui su MO. Daug dėmesio skiriama skaitmeninės bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių kokybei vertinti, todėl bibliotekos sudedamųjų dalių kompleksinių vertinimo kriterijų, pagrįstų bibliotekos lankstumo ir sudedamųjų dalių sąveikumo rekomendacijomis, kūrimas taip pat yra darbo tikslas. / The main scientific problems investigated in this work deal with the creation of flexible open source e-Learning content and services system (referred here as Digital Library of Educational resources and services – DLE) providing learning customisation possibilities for its users. Standards and interoperability are key factors in the success of the introduction of such kind of DLEs, and therefore the main research object of the work is investigation and proposal of interoperability guidelines for DLE components. The main problem is not the identification of suitable standards and specifications, but the adoption of these standards and specifications and their application in e-Learning practice. Approaches concerning LOM Standard Application Profiles (APs) and curricula mapping are the main topics created and investigated here because they could provide more quick and convenient LOs search possibilities in the repositories for the users. Another key factor is quality of DLE systems, and therefore one more research object of the work is the effectiveness of methods of DLE components evaluation. DLE components’ complex evaluation tools suitable for systems based on flexible approach have been created. These tools should include a number of criteria to evaluate LOs reusability level and VLEs adaptation capabilities. Practice of flexible DLE software creation and development for Lithuanian primary, secondary and vocational education based of flexible approach is presented in more... [to full text]

The purpose of this study was to investigate eighth grade students&rsquo / perceptions of their mathematics teachers&rsquo / interpersonal behaviors. The study also investigated mathematics teachers&rsquo / perceptions of their own interpersonal behaviors as well as relationships among students&rsquo / perceptions of their teachers&rsquo / interpersonal behaviors, attitudes towards mathematics, mathematics achievements, student gender, teacher gender, and socio-economical background. Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) scale and a mathematics attitude scale were used for data collection. Data were collected from a sample of 1317 eighth grade students in public elementary schools in the following provinces: istanbul, Ankara, izmir, Adana, Bursa, and Hatay. Statistical analyses revealed that the Turkish version of QTI translated and adapted by the researcher had an acceptable degree of validity and reliability. Results showed that Turkish students perceive their mathematics teachers as displaying high levels of leadership, helpful/friendly, understanding, and displaying strict behaviors rather than uncertain, admonishing and dissatisfied behaviors. The results also indicated that students&rsquo / perceptions of their mathematics teachers&rsquo / interpersonal behaviors were associated with their attitudes towards mathematics and their mathematics achievement. While the leadership, helpful/friendly, and understanding behaviors had positive correlations with attitude scores of students, the uncertain, dissatisfied, admonishing and strict behaviors had negative correlations. Similarly, students who perceived their teacher as displaying leadership, helping/friendly and understanding behavior had higher achievement levels than the ones who perceive their teacher as strict, uncertain, admonishing and dissatisfied. Students with higher cultural and economical background perceived their teachers more favorably. The MANOVA results indicated that girls generally perceived their mathematics teacher more cooperative than boys did. Also students perceived their male teachers display more leadership, helping/friendly, and strict behaviors than their female teachers. Results also indicated that teachers generally perceived themselves in a more favorably manner than their students did.

Le travail de la thèse porte sur l’analyse d’une activité de conception expérimentale réalisée par des élèves de 1ère S à l’aide d’un EIAH (Environnement Informatique pour l’Apprentissage Humain). Il vise à comprendre les rapports au savoir et à la démarche expérimentale établis par l’élève et l’enseignant face à ce type d’activité.Il s’agit de rendre compte des connaissances mobilisées par les élèves et de mesurer l’influence des supports proposés par un EIAH nommé LabBook. Il s’agit également de décrire la manière dont l’enseignant prend en charge les difficultés rencontrées par les élèves.A ce propos, une ingénierie didactique a été modélisée dans le cadre de la Théorie des situations didactiques (Brousseau, 1986). Cette ingénierie est ancrée dans la thématique de la « génétique » et plus précisément dans « l’expression du patrimoine génétique », domaine pour lequel on constate de nombreuses difficultés chez les élèves. Les analyses portent sur les productions des élèves, leurs réponses aux questionnaires (pré-test et post-test) et les interactions enseignant-élève produites tout au long du travail dans la situation.Ce travail a permis de mettre en valeur le rôle de l’élaboration des protocoles expérimentaux dans la modification du système des connaissances des élèves et de l’évolution de leurs connaissances relatives à la notion de gène et l’expression de l’information génétique. Les supports d’étayages implémentés dans LabBook offrent un potentiel aux élèves pour la mise en œuvre de la conception expérimentale. D’ailleurs, divers supports d’étayage ont été mis en place par les enseignants afin de prendre en charge les difficultés rencontrées par les élèves. L’étude de ces supports d’étayages permet d’élaborer des recommandations en vue de faire évoluer la plateforme LabBook et palier aux difficultés d’apprentissage des élèves. / The thesis work involves an analysis of the experimental design activity carried out by students of junior year of high school in sciences using a TEL environment (Technology Enhanced Learning). It aims at understanding how they relate to knowledge and to the experimental approach established by both student and teacher.The thesis gives an account of how the students mobilizes their knowledge and it measures the influence of learning supports proposed by a TEL named LabBook. It also focuses on how the teacher deals with the difficulties encountered by students.Regarding that matter, a didactic engineering was already modelled as part of the Theory of didactical situations (Brousseau, 1986). This engineering focuses on the thematic of "genetic" and more specifically on "the expression of the genetic heritage" - a problematic area for most students. The analyses deal with the students’ productions, their answers to questionnaires (pre-test and post-test) and the teacher-student interactions produced throughout the work in the situation.This work highlighted the role of experimental design in changing the students' knowledge system and the evolution of their knowledge about the gene concept and expression of genetic information. The scaffolds implemented in the LabBook platform offer the students a potential for the implementation of experimental design. Teachers themselves dealt with the difficulties encountered by their students by implementing various aids. The study of these scaffolds allows the development of useful recommendations to improve the LabBook platform so as to help students overcome their learning difficulties.

Esta tese constitui uma pesquisa qualitativa que tem como foco um estudo de caso com adolescentes, doentes crônicos com Fibrose Cística (FC), internados em quarto restrito no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), em situação de exclusão temporária e o acesso e uso da WEB 2.0 e de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs). Apresenta como objetivos verificar as produções e interações de adolescentes com FC hospitalizados em quartos restritos quando se oportuniza o uso de recursos da WEB 2.0 e de AVAs, acompanhar e avaliar o processo de interação entre os adolescentes e destes com amigos virtuais através das redes sociais e observar e analisar a criação e produção de e entre os sujeitos no processo de utilização e exploração dos recursos tecnológicos. Os sujeitos desta pesquisa são oito adolescentes com acesso ao computador no período de hospitalização que integram as redes sociais no processo de interação, de vinculação e de compartilhamento constituindo um novo cenário nas relações sociais em quartos restritos do hospital. Descreve as discussões e interações dos adolescentes nos chats do AVA Eduquito, as produções de mídias e a construção colaborativa e cooperativa do Blog Cor@gem. O Blog se constitui no cenário em que os personagens acessam, usam e produzem de forma compartilhada as produções no uso de imagem, som e texto criando vídeos, tendo como tema principal a hospitalização, a doença e os laços de afeto entre os adolescentes participantes do projeto. A construção colaborativa e cooperativa no Blog propiciou um espaço de trabalho e de criação conjunta entre os adolescentes resultando em um espaço de construção sociointeracionista reunindo pacientes com FC, hospitalizados em quartos restritos, através de comunidades virtuais com acesso e uso da WEB 2.0. / This thesis is a qualitative research about a case study with adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a chronic disease, hospitalized in a restricted room in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). They are in a situation of temporary exclusion and they access and use WEB 2.0 and Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). This thesis intends to verify the productions and interactions of these adolescents with CF hospitalized in restricted rooms when we offer to them the use of the Web 2.0 features and VLEs. This work also want to monitor and to evaluate the process of interaction between these adolescents with online friends through social networks, and to observe and to analyze the creation and production of these people in the process of exploration and use of technological resources. The subjects of this research are eight teenagers with access to computers during the hospitalization, that integrate social networks in the interaction‟s process, linking and sharing, constituting a new stage in social relations in restricted rooms in the hospital. Besides, this research also describes the discussions and interactions among adolescents in the AVA Eduquito chats, the media productions and the collaborative and cooperative building of the Blog Cor@gem. Using this Blog, the characters visit, use and build productions that are shared in the use of image, sound and text, creating videos, with the main theme of hospitalization, illness and the bonds of affection among adolescents that participate in this project. The cooperative construction of this Blog provided a collaborative creation among these adolescents, resulting in a construction of a sociointeractionist space, gathering CF patients hospitalized in restricted rooms through virtual communities with access to Web 2.0.

O objetivo deste trabalho é contribuir com a ampliação do ensino de geometria nas séries iniciais, em especial no município de Minas do Leão, bem como fomentar a discussão sobre o tema. Para tanto organizei um Grupo de Estudos formado por 21 professoras, todas envolvidas com as séries iniciais do município. Neste Grupo desenvolvemos atividades de natureza geométrica, dirigidas às séries iniciais, estudamos, analisamos e discutimos as orientações contidas nos PCN, buscando um suporte teórico para o desenvolvimento da geometria nas séries iniciais com maior qualidade. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, as fontes de dados são os relatórios dos 11 encontros, filmagem de alguns encontros e entrevistas com as professoras envolvidas no Grupo, além de observações do cotidiano escolar. Relaciono as atividades do Grupo de Estudos com os ambientes de aprendizagem descritos por Skovsmose (2008), destacando e exemplificando a movimentação entre os diferentes ambientes. Mesmo sem terem sido uma escolha prévia, estes ambientes se fizeram presentes ao longo dos encontros do Grupo. Também comento sobre o alcance das atividades do Grupo a partir de observações e entrevistas realizadas com as professoras. Considero que, após a vivência no Grupo de Estudos, as professoras modificaram sua percepção sobre a geometria nas séries iniciais, incluindo e ampliando atividades de natureza geométrica em suas aulas, dando início a um processo de atualização curricular. Acrescentei a esta dissertação um apêndice, no qual disponibilizo todas as atividades desenvolvidas junto ao Grupo de Estudos. / The objective of this work is to contribute with the broadening of geometry education in the initial grades, especially in the city of Minas do Leão, as well as foster the discussion on the theme. Therefore I organized a Study Group with 21 teachers, all involved with the initial grades of the city. In this Group we developed geometric activities, directed to these grades. We also studied, analyzed, and discussed the PCN guidelines, looking for a theoretical support that may help develop the study of geometry in the initial grades with bigger quality. The research was qualitative in nature; its information sources were constituted by the reports of 11 meetings, filming of some of these meetings, and interviews with the teachers of the Group, besides some day-to-day school observation. Here, I relate the activities of the Study Group to Skovsmose’s learning environments (2008), highlighting and exemplifying the transit between different environments; even without having been a previous option, these environments became present throughout the Group meetings. I also comment on the range of the Group activities based on observation and interviews carried out with the teachers. I consider that after the experience in the Study Group the teachers have changed their perception on geometry education in the initial grades, including and extending geometric activities in their classes, starting a curricular update. I added to this dissertation an appendix, in which I provide the activities developed within the Study Group.

Esta tese constitui uma pesquisa qualitativa que tem como foco um estudo de caso com adolescentes, doentes crônicos com Fibrose Cística (FC), internados em quarto restrito no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), em situação de exclusão temporária e o acesso e uso da WEB 2.0 e de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs). Apresenta como objetivos verificar as produções e interações de adolescentes com FC hospitalizados em quartos restritos quando se oportuniza o uso de recursos da WEB 2.0 e de AVAs, acompanhar e avaliar o processo de interação entre os adolescentes e destes com amigos virtuais através das redes sociais e observar e analisar a criação e produção de e entre os sujeitos no processo de utilização e exploração dos recursos tecnológicos. Os sujeitos desta pesquisa são oito adolescentes com acesso ao computador no período de hospitalização que integram as redes sociais no processo de interação, de vinculação e de compartilhamento constituindo um novo cenário nas relações sociais em quartos restritos do hospital. Descreve as discussões e interações dos adolescentes nos chats do AVA Eduquito, as produções de mídias e a construção colaborativa e cooperativa do Blog Cor@gem. O Blog se constitui no cenário em que os personagens acessam, usam e produzem de forma compartilhada as produções no uso de imagem, som e texto criando vídeos, tendo como tema principal a hospitalização, a doença e os laços de afeto entre os adolescentes participantes do projeto. A construção colaborativa e cooperativa no Blog propiciou um espaço de trabalho e de criação conjunta entre os adolescentes resultando em um espaço de construção sociointeracionista reunindo pacientes com FC, hospitalizados em quartos restritos, através de comunidades virtuais com acesso e uso da WEB 2.0. / This thesis is a qualitative research about a case study with adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a chronic disease, hospitalized in a restricted room in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). They are in a situation of temporary exclusion and they access and use WEB 2.0 and Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). This thesis intends to verify the productions and interactions of these adolescents with CF hospitalized in restricted rooms when we offer to them the use of the Web 2.0 features and VLEs. This work also want to monitor and to evaluate the process of interaction between these adolescents with online friends through social networks, and to observe and to analyze the creation and production of these people in the process of exploration and use of technological resources. The subjects of this research are eight teenagers with access to computers during the hospitalization, that integrate social networks in the interaction‟s process, linking and sharing, constituting a new stage in social relations in restricted rooms in the hospital. Besides, this research also describes the discussions and interactions among adolescents in the AVA Eduquito chats, the media productions and the collaborative and cooperative building of the Blog Cor@gem. Using this Blog, the characters visit, use and build productions that are shared in the use of image, sound and text, creating videos, with the main theme of hospitalization, illness and the bonds of affection among adolescents that participate in this project. The cooperative construction of this Blog provided a collaborative creation among these adolescents, resulting in a construction of a sociointeractionist space, gathering CF patients hospitalized in restricted rooms through virtual communities with access to Web 2.0.

Indicadores educacionais vêm desvelando ao longo do tempo o grave problema social que se tornou a aprendizagem nas Escolas Públicas e Privadas do Brasil. Em paralelo, essas escolas também vêm sendo desequilibradas pelas tecnologias digitais, seja pela ausência ou inclusão sem a capacidade de apropriação plena. Neste contexto, a tese, apoiada na linha de pesquisa “Interfaces Digitais em Educação, Arte, Linguagem e Cognição” perpassou áreas de estudo como: projetos de aprendizagem, objetos de aprendizagem, metodologias e ambientes de autoria para objetos de aprendizagem e processos de aprendizagem segundo a epistemologia genética. A área de interesse investigada foi a autoria de objetos de aprendizagem por alunos como potencializadora do processo de aprendizagem desses sujeitos, nas áreas de Ciências e Matemática do Ensino Médio, de Escolas Públicas que dispunham de tecnologias digitais. A tese se iniciou em 2004 com uma pesquisa exploratória em Escolas Públicas pertencentes a 25ª Coordenadoria Regional de Educação do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Em 2005, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas destas escolas, em 2006 em uma delas e em 2007 em uma quarta Escola. Como contribuição desta caminhada apresentase uma metodologia de apoio ao processo de aprendizagem via a autoria de objetos de aprendizagem por alunos. Essa é uma extensão da metodologia de projetos de aprendizagem proposta por Fagundes, com a incorporação da autoria de objetos de aprendizagem por alunos. Em síntese, o aluno estará em processo de autoria de objetos de aprendizagem e poderá produzir ou não, como resultado final desse processo, um objeto de aprendizagem que represente computacionalmente seu desejo de aprendizagem. A metodologia está fundamentada na autoria de projetos de aprendizagem e de objetos de aprendizagem por alunos, na adoção de princípios ágeis para esse processo de autoria e em um contexto escolar construtivista apoiado nas tecnologias digitais. Por fim, a metodologia foi validada através de um processo de investigação, na Escola D, que consistiu na autoria de projetos e de objetos de aprendizagem por alunos. / Educationals indicators have been so long showing the serious social problem that learning in Brazilian Public and Private Schools has become. At the same time, such schools have been affected by the presence of digital technologies, either by its absence or by its introduction without being fully absorved. In this context, this thesis supported in the research line of “Digital Interfaces for Education, Art, Cognition, and language” touched areas of study such as: learning project, learning objects, methodology and environments of learning objects authoring, and process of learning following the genetic epistemology. The investigated area of interests was the authoring of the learning objects by students as a strategy to improve the learning process of such students, in the areas of Science and Mathematics of the high school in Public schools that have digital technologies available. The thesis initiated in 2004 with a exploratory research on Public Schools belonging to the 25nd Education Regional Coordination of the states of Rio Grande do Sul. In 2005, the research has been development in two of these schools, in 2006 in one of them, and in 2007 in a forth school. As contribution of this effort, it is proposed a methodology to support the process of authoring learning objects by students. This is an extension of the methodology of the projects of learning proposed by Fagundes, with the introduction of learning objects authoring by students. In summary, the student will be part of the process of authoring learning objects and may either produce or not, as a final result this process, an learning object that computationally represents his or hers wishing of learning. The methodology is based on: the authoring of learning projects and learning objects by students, in the adoption of fast principles for this process of authoring, and in a constructivist school context supported in digital technologies. Finally, the methodology has been validated trough a research process, in school D, that consisted in the authoring of learning projects and objects by students.