This dissertation presents a unified framework to teach critical thinking and problem solving in a sixth grade computer classroom. In the context of this framework, problem solving is viewed as a critical thinking skill that also incorporates application of other critical thinking skills. Through a review of literature of critical thinking, problem solving, writing, Logo, simulations, and other related areas of study, we derive instructional principles important to consider when formulating a pedagogy to teach critical thinking/problem solving in a 6th grade computer classroom. We then present a rationale for a unified framework to teach critical thinking/problem solving and describe the said framework, titled, TACTICS (Tools ((to)) Assimilate Critical Thinking in Classroom Subjects). A process approach is advocated that includes an emphasis on the development of metacognition and an inquisitive spirit, the application of a general problem solving approach, and the use of specific heuristics. Through conscious use of critical thinking skills when applying problem solving strategies, students can learn to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving skills and come to see how the same general skills are used in a variety of circumstances. Eight instructional principles are suggested to teach critical thinking skills and to promote their generalization to other subject areas. These are supported by four problem solving tools designed to aid students in connecting their problem solving experiences in one area to their work in other subject areas. These tools are: Polya Four-Step General Problem Solving Approach, The Heuristic Bank, Student and Teacher-Made Reference Manuals and Students' Journals. A curriculum resource book is included that demonstrates how the use of the TACTICS model can build critical thinking and problem solving skills when studying Logo, when writing or when using a simulation. Included are examples of curriculum unit and instructions for teachers to design their own curriculum units in their subject areas.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using video as a method of beginner teacher observation. Additionally, this study investigated whether or not trained observers (raters) could reliably score beginner teacher performance videotapes using a four point holistic scoring scale. It was the goal of this study that the beginner teacher performance videotapes assessed holistically would help to narrow the gap that now exists between teacher evaluation and actual classroom teaching. To this end the researcher collected 24 beginner teacher performance videotapes and had twelve elementary school teachers, the raters, score each videotape utilizing a four point holistic scoring scale that was developed for the purposes of this dissertation. In sum, it appears that videotape performance assessment that utilizes a holistic scoring scale is a viable and cost effective method of teacher evaluation. Lastly, it was learned that camera condition was not a significant factor in terms of obtaining consistent scores on the performance videotapes. However, it remains to be seen if this method helps to narrow the gap between actual classroom teaching and teacher evaluation.

<p> The purpose of this mixed methods study is to test teachers&rsquo; capacity towards understanding of mathematical pedagogy and their willingness to utilize interactive whiteboard software to provide visual representations through virtual manipulatives and to understand how teachers are using interactive whiteboard software during instruction. Based Upon Linda Lambert&rsquo;s Capacity Theory and Michelle Hodara&rsquo;s five strands of Math Pedagogy, this study attempted to answer how we can improve mathematics instruction through implementing interactive whiteboards. This study looked at the relationship between teachers&rsquo; understanding of math pedagogy and their willingness to implement interactive whiteboards to enhance and engage instruction at the kindergarten through eighth grade. Included in this study is the role administrators play in improving mathematics instruction. Additionally, attitudes towards engaging instruction in both teachers and administrators were analyzed. The findings and discussions led to the adaptation of Linda Lambert&rsquo;s 4-quadrant matrix to a new Improving Capacity to Teach Math matrix. </p>

I have committed a significant period of time (in my case five years) to the purpose development of learning environments, with the belief that it would improve the self-actualisation and self-motivation of students and teachers alike. I consider it important to record and measure performance as we progressed toward such an outcome. Education researchers and practitioners alike, in the higher (university/tertiary) education systems, are seeking among new challenges to engage students and teachers in learning (James, 2001). However, studies to date show a confusing landscape littered with a multiplicity of interpretations and terms, successes and failures. As the discipline leader of the Information Technology, Systems and Multimedia (ITSM) Discipline, Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale, I found myself struggling with this paradigm. I also found myself being torn between what presents as pragmatic student learning behaviour and the learner-centred teaching ideal reflected in the Swinburne Lilydale mission statement. The research reported in this folio reflects my theory and practice as discipline leader of the ITSM Discipline and the resulting learning environment evolution during the period 1997/8 to 2003. The study adds to the material evidence of extant research through firstly, a meta analysis of the learning environment implemented by the ITSM Discipline as recorded in peer reviewed and published papers; and secondly, a content analysis of student learning approaches, conducted on data reported from a survey of ‘learning skills inventory’ originally conducted by the ITSM Discipline staff in 2002. In 1997 information and communication technologies (ICT) were beginning to provide plausible means for electronic distribution of learning materials on a flexible and repeatable basis, and to provide answers to the imperative of learning materials distribution relating to an ITSM Discipline new course to begin in 1998. A very short time frame of three months was available prior to teaching the course. The ITSM Discipline learning environment development was an evolutionary process I began in 1997/8 initially from the requirement to publish print-based learning guide materials for the new ITSM Discipline subjects. Learning materials and student-to-teacher reciprocal communication would then be delivered and distributed online as virtual learning guides and virtual lectures, over distance as well as maintaining classroom-based instruction design. Virtual here is used to describe the use of ICT and Internet-based approaches. No longer would it be necessary for students to attend classes simply to access lecture content, or fear missing out on vital information. Assumptions I made as discipline leader for the ITSM Discipline included, firstly, that learning should be an active enterprise for the students, teachers and society; secondly, that each student comes to a learning environment with different learning expectations, learning skills and learning styles; and thirdly, that the provision of a holistic learning environment would encourage students to be self-actualising and self-motivated. Considerable reading of research and publications, as outlined in this folio, supported the update of these assumptions relative to teaching and learning. ITSM Discipline staff were required to quickly and naturally change their teaching styles and communication of values to engage with the emergent ITSM Discipline learning environment and pedagogy, and each new teaching situation. From a student perspective such assumptions meant students needed to move from reliance upon teaching and prescriptive transmission of information to a self-motivated and more self-actualising and reflective set of strategies for learning. In constructing this folio, after the introductory chaperts, there are two distinct component parts; • firstly, a Descriptive Meta analysis (Chapter Three) that draws together several of my peer reviewed professional writings and observations that document the progression of the ITSM Discipline learning environment evolution during the period 1997/8 to 2003. As the learning environment designer and discipline leader, my observations and published papers provide insight into the considerations that are required when providing an active, flexible and multi-modal learning environment for students and teachers; and • secondly, a Dissertation (Chapter Four), as a content analysis of a learning skills inventory data collection, collected by the ITSM Discipline in the 2002 Swinburne Lilydale academic year, where students were encouraged to complete reflective journal entries via the ITSM Discipline virtual learning guide subject web-site. That data collection included all students in a majority of subjects supported by the ITSM Discipline for both semesters one and two 2002. The original purpose of the journal entries was to have students reflectively involved in assessing their learning skills and approaches to learning. Such perceptions were tested using a well-known metric, the ‘learning skills inventory’ (Knowles, 1975), augmented with a short reflective learning approach narrative. The journal entries were used by teaching staff originally and then made available to researchers as a desensitised data in 2003 for statistical and content analysis relative to student learning skills and approaches. The findings of my research support a view of the student and teacher enculturation as utilitarian, dependent and pragmatically self-motivated. This, I argue, shows little sign of abatement in the early part of the 21st Century. My observation suggests that this is also independent of the pedagogical and educational philosophy debate or practice as currently presented. As much as the self-actualising, self-motivated learning environment can be justified philosophically, the findings observed from this research, reported in this folio, cannot. Part of the reason for this originates from the debate by educational researchers as to the relative merits of liberal and vocational philosophies for education combined with the recent introduction of information and communication technologies, and commodification of higher education. Challenging students to be participative and active learners, as proposed by educationalists Meyers and Jones (1993), i.e. self-motivated and self-actualising learners, has proved to be problematic. This, I will argue, will require a change to a variable/s (not yet identified) of higher education enculturation on multiple fronts, by students, teachers and society in order to bridge the gap. This research indicates that tertiary educators and educational researchers should stop thinking simplistically of constructivist and/or technology-enabled approaches, students learning choices and teachers teaching choices. Based on my research I argue for a far more holistic set of explanations of student and staff expectations and behaviour, and therefore pedagogy that supports those expectations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 201-210).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DXN049326.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-186). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-186). Also available on the Internet.

<p> The purpose of this study was to contribute to available literature by ascertaining student perceptions of benefits of student access to technology as correlated to students&rsquo; standardized test scores. Students and teachers were surveyed for perceptions of technology benefits. Survey results were analyzed and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated comparing student perceptions to standardized Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) grade-level assessment results. As described in specific detail in this paper, it was found student standardized MAP testing data were positively correlated to the introduction of technology-integrated instruction in the classroom setting. Student perceptions indicated a more positive linear association to the support of technology in the content area of mathematics than communication arts. Teacher perceptions of technology integration into the classroom indicated the influx of technology into classroom instruction benefitted lesson preparation and availability of supporting materials.</p>

<p>Background: College settings are likely environments for Black women to contract STIs (including HIV) or experience unintentional/unwanted pregnancies. Effective prevention strategies for this population include dialogue and activities that focus on gender, maturity, cultural barriers, personal strength, and information needs. However, technological advancements (including virtual reality) and innovation are limited in prevention efforts. </p><p> Methods: Four 90-minute focus group sessions were conducted in a convenience sample of Black college females (ages 18 years or older) and a research-intensive public institution in the southeast. A series of surveys were distributed during each audio-recorded focus group session. A mixed-method approach to data analysis was based on applications of the Health Belief Model constructs to three principal research questions: (1) Q1: How do Black college females perceive the importance of sexual risk topics? (2) What are the experiences and attitudes of Black college females regarding the use of VR for education and training versus video game entertainment (i.e. &ldquo;gaming)? and (3) Among Black college females, what sexual risk topics are considered most relevant to a VR education and training platform? </p><p> Results: Each of four study cohorts enrolled between 2-6 participants each (n=15). Participant ages ranged from 18-48 (x&macr;=28.6, &sigma;=9.2) years within age groups of 18&ndash;24 years (60%, n=9), 25&ndash;34 years (26.7%, n=4), and 35 years or above (13.3%, n=2). The majority of participants (86.7%, n=13) were enrolled as full-time students, and resided in various off-campus locations (73.3%; n=11). Assessments of sexual risk topic importance were reported based on aggregated Survey 1 Lickert scale values. The majority of participants equally viewed the topics of HIV and STI status as important, mostly important, or very important. Other notable concerns include sex with drug/alcohol use, risk of intimate partner violence, and sexual communication (e.g. partners and peers. Despite the lack of formal virtual reality knowledge, the majority of participants reported experience with VF technology via &ldquo;gaming&rdquo; (e.g. <i>SIMS</i>). They also concluded that a virtual reality platform for sexual health education and training should involve comprehensive approaches to HIV/STI and unintentional pregnancy via use of barrier methods, including birth control, as well as facilitation of sexual communication. </p><p> Discussion: This research represents a unique approach to the identification of sexual health risk importance for HIV/STI transmission, as well as unintentional pregnancy, in Black college females. Although a successful demonstration of feasibility, this research is formative in nature&mdash;results should be interpreted as preliminary. However, methods and concepts presented in this thesis hold the potential for scientific contribution in prevention research, clinical practice, and other fields of study. </p>