Submitted by Alisson Mota (alisson.davidbeckam@gmail.com) on 2015-06-09T19:49:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Camila Carlos Bezerra.pdf: 1474766 bytes, checksum: 1f4beee91dd1bedf69591ae9a6ac7af4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2015-06-10T15:42:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Camila Carlos Bezerra.pdf: 1474766 bytes, checksum: 1f4beee91dd1bedf69591ae9a6ac7af4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-10T15:42:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Camila Carlos Bezerra.pdf: 1474766 bytes, checksum: 1f4beee91dd1bedf69591ae9a6ac7af4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-25 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / INTRODUCTION: the scientific research at undergraduate level consists on the investigation conducted by academics, under advisor guidance, produced according to the scientific method rules, in search of the new, the answers still unknown by science. The scientific research practice at undergraduate level is imperative to meet the egress of nursing establish by nowadays way of care and society. OBJECTIVE: analyze the features of scientific research practice by finalist students of nursing undergraduate course of universities in Manaus - AM. METHODOLOGY: qualitative approach, in a descriptive and exploratory way, carried out in four universities in Manaus city, Amazonas state, having as subject 51 finalists’ students of nursing course and 04 coordinators. As data gathering technique, it was used questionnaires applied to the students, documentation of Pedagogical Projects (PP) and semistructured interviews with course coordinators. RESULTS: the finalists’ students define research as seek for a subject or theme and consider as a tool for generating scientific knowledge. The experiences of scientific research at undergraduate comprehend three dimensions: the inclusion of students in scientific research; scientific production; and the divulgation of the results presented at scientific events. Although the reference of these practices has been increased, the acceptance by partners and the publication of papers has been shown to be scarce. The analysis of PP evidenced disarticulation between teaching and research, besides presenting planning in disagreement to the reality found and described by students. Material resources exist. However, they were in conditions that did not meet the needs of the objects of research of nursing students. The number of qualified professors for guidance was not enough, when compared to the number of students in the course. CONCLUSION: the experiences of the practice of scientific research at undergraduate level, indicated by the students, were characterized as a study process more than a production of new knowledge. It is necessary that students understand the difference between academic works and scientific research. / Introdução: a pesquisa científica na graduação consiste na investigação realizada por discentes, sob orientação docente, produzida segundo as regras do método científico, em busca do novo, de respostas ainda desconhecidas pela ciência. A prática da pesquisa científica na graduação é um imperativo para atender ao perfil do egresso de enfermagem que a atual sociedade e o cuidar estabelecem. Objetivo: analisar as características da prática da pesquisa científica dos discentes finalistas do curso de graduação em enfermagem das universidades de Manaus – AM. Metodologia: estudo de abordagem qualitativa, do tipo descritivo e exploratório, realizado nas quatro universidades da cidade de Manaus, estado do Amazonas, tendo como sujeitos 51 discentes finalistas de enfermagem e quatro coordenadores de curso. Utilizou-se, como técnica para coleta de dados, questionário com os discentes, pesquisa documental nos Projetos Pedagógicos de Curso (PPC) e entrevista estruturada com os coordenadores de curso. Resultados: os discentes finalistas de enfermagem definiram pesquisa como busca por assunto ou tema e a consideraram como uma ferramenta geradora de conhecimento científico. As experiências de pesquisa científica na graduação compreenderam três categorias: a inserção dos discentes na pesquisa; a produção científica; e a socialização dos resultados apresentados em eventos. Embora a referência destas práticas tenha sido elevada, o reconhecimento pelos pares e as publicação dos trabalhos se apresentou escassa. A análise dos PPC evidenciou desarticulação entre ensino e pesquisa, além de apresentar planejamento em desacordo com a realidade encontrada e descrita pelos discentes. Os recursos materiais existiam, porém apresentavam condições que não atendiam às necessidades dos objetos de pesquisas dos discentes de enfermagem. O número de docentes qualificados para orientação não era suficiente, se relacionado à quantidade de discentes no curso. Conclusão: as experiências da prática de pesquisa científica na graduação, indicada pelos discentes, caracterizaram-se mais como processo de estudo, do que produção de conhecimento novo. É necessário que os discentes compreendam a diferença entre os trabalhos acadêmicos e a pesquisa científica.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-11-09T11:20:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Patricia da Costa Lima.pdf: 1419440 bytes, checksum: 642d90db458e9662148761f80179080d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-09T11:20:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Patricia da Costa Lima.pdf: 1419440 bytes, checksum: 642d90db458e9662148761f80179080d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The objective of this work is to investigate what has been discussed in the Brazilian researches in the area of Mathematics Education carried out in the last ten years and published in the journal "Mathematical Education Research" (EMP), edited by the Program of Postgraduate Studies in Mathematical Education of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC / SP), regarding teaching and learning in Basic Education of the mathematical object function. A priori, a survey of the articles published during the considered period that dealt with the subject in focus in this investigation was made, and five of them, because they met the criteria adopted (authorship of Brazilian researchers and related to the processes of teaching and learning of function in Basic Education), were selected for analysis. Then, these were read in their entirety, and from this reading the categories emerged, through which we were able to perform a meta-analysis of the texts, articulating them; in addition to establishing general comparisons between the selected researches, evidences difficulties both teachers and students in relation to the concept of function or notions adherent to it and also obstacles related to the approaches present in the textbooks or to the strategies of teaching adopted in the classroom. The analysis of the articles showed that some of the difficulties faced by students in working with the concept of function are also obstacles presented by teachers themselves, who manifest weaknesses in relation to the knowledge of mathematical content. Issues related to different semiotic representations of functions are not fully understood even by teachers, as the articles analyzed indicate. The textbooks, in turn, as evidenced by the elements brought by the researches, often lack information that is really necessary for students to understand the concept of function, which consequently entails difficulties in teaching such content, once that these materials are often adopted as the only references by teachers. Another information brought by the analysis of the selected articles is that the differentiated strategies of teaching face resistance from both teachers and students themselves, accustomed to the so-called 'traditional lessons' / O objetivo desse trabalho é investigar o que tem sido discutido nas pesquisas brasileiras da área de Educação Matemática realizadas nos últimos dez anos e publicadas na revista “Educação Matemática Pesquisa” (EMP), editada pelo Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduados em Educação Matemática da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC/SP), a respeito do ensino e da aprendizagem na Educação Básica do objeto matemático função. A priori, foi feito um levantamento dos artigos publicados no período considerado que tratavam do tema em foco nesta investigação e cinco deles, por atenderem aos critérios adotados (autoria de pesquisadores brasileiros e relacionados aos processos de ensino e de aprendizagem de função na Educação Básica), foram selecionados para análise. Em seguida, estes foram lidos na íntegra e, de tal leitura, emergiram as categorias, por meio das quais pudemos realizar uma metanálise dos textos, articulando-os; além de estabelecer comparações gerais entre as pesquisas selecionadas, evidenciar dificuldades tanto docentes quanto discentes em relação ao conceito de função ou noções aderentes a ele e também entraves relativos às abordagens presentes nos livros didáticos ou às estratégias de ensino adotadas em sala de aula. A análise dos artigos mostrou que algumas das dificuldades enfrentadas pelos estudantes ao trabalharem com o conceito de função são também entraves apresentados pelos próprios professores, que manifestam fragilidades em relação ao conhecimento de conteúdo matemático. Questões relacionadas às diferentes representações semióticas de funções não são totalmente compreendidas nem mesmo pelos docentes, como indicam os artigos analisados. Os livros didáticos, por sua vez, conforme evidenciam elementos trazidos pelas pesquisas, em muitos casos carecem de informações realmente necessárias para a compreensão por parte dos alunos do conceito de função, o que, consequentemente, acarreta dificuldades no ensino de tal conteúdo, uma vez que, com frequência, esses materiais são adotados como únicas referências pelos professores. Outra informação trazida pelas análises dos artigos selecionados é que as estratégias diferenciadas de ensino enfrentam resistência tanto dos docentes quanto dos próprios estudantes, habituados às chamadas ‘aulas tradicionais’

Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2017-09-29T16:47:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 IRACI BALBINA GONÇALVES SILVA.pdf: 2010625 bytes, checksum: 895e364a31e51df36ada2b3ae9073ae2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-29T16:47:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IRACI BALBINA GONÇALVES SILVA.pdf: 2010625 bytes, checksum: 895e364a31e51df36ada2b3ae9073ae2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-01 / The research aims to understand the historical-political-social process of incorporating teaching degree programs to the new Professional and Technological Education (EPT) policy, seeking to reveal the concepts present in the Professional Education project, in the federal public modality, specifically related to the teaching degree programs offered by the Federal Institutes (IF). What is questioned is why, in the historical process of diversifying the modalities and formats of Professional and Technological Education in Brazil, the teaching degree courses were offered within the scope of Professional Education, in other words, why does the project for reformulation of Professional and Technological Education encompasses the teaching degree programs? What are the purpose and the goals of the Policy of Educators Formation regarding the Technical Professional Education? Are the teaching degree programs offered by the IFs intended to prepare for Basic Education or for Professional education? This study is limited to the IFs, rather than the totality of institutions that constitute the Federal Network of Education. The research of qualitative-quantity nature and documentalbibliographic basis used content analysis. Supported by historical and dialectical materialism, it is based on the contribution of Aranha; Cunha; Floro and Dal Rio, Floro; Müller; Kuenzer; Guerra and Oliveira; Bonfim; Lima; Duarte; Facci; Libâneo; Moura, among others. Concern with pedagogical action was registered at the beginning of the Escolas de Aprendizes Artífices and in 1917 the Escola Normal de Artes e Ofícios Venceslau Bráz was created. Insertion of teaching degree courses dates from 1978 with the creation of the three first CEFETs, although it was with the IFs creation, in 2008, that the institution had to affirm itself as a locus of educators’ formation. Law No. 6.545/1978 defined the teaching degree programs of CEFETs should serve Basic Education and EPT. In 1993, through Law No. 8.711, teaching degree programs should serve EPT. In the year 2000, by Decree No. 3.462, teaching degree programs should serve Basic Education and EPT. Currently, through Law No. 11.892/2008, teaching degree programs should serve Basic Education and EPT. The research shows that in 2012, 12 % of teaching degree programs in the IFs were focused on serving EPT and 88% on Basic Education. In 2016, 3.44% of teaching degree programs were focused on serving EPT and 96.56% on Basic Education. The number of technical basic education courses represents more than half the courses offered: 56.12%. It shows that the Institution maintains technical education as one of the important axis of its practice, according to the Law of its foundation. The study of the history of EPT leads to the recognition that EPT has always been modified according to the demands of capital and that teaching degree courses tend to follow suit. The project for reformulating Professional and Technological Education, which is intent on consolidating a sui generis institutional identity, encompasses/foments teaching degree courses through defending the necessity of configuring another model for educators’ formation distinct from what existed before. It intends to enable the educator with a solid scientific background – based on verticalization – capable of dealing with issues emerging from practice and having research as an educational principle. / A pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender o processo histórico-político-social de incorporação das licenciaturas à nova política de Educação Profissional e Tecnológica, procurando revelar as concepções presentes no projeto de Educação Profissional, na modalidade pública federal, especificamente relacionada às licenciaturas ofertadas nos IF. O que se questiona é por que, no processo histórico de diversificação de modalidades e formatos de Educação Profissional Tecnológica no Brasil, os cursos de licenciaturas foram ofertados no campo da Educação Profissional, ou seja, por que o projeto de reformulação da Educação Profissional e Tecnológica engloba as licenciaturas? Qual o propósito e as finalidades da Política de Formação de professores na EPT? Os cursos de licenciatura ofertados pelos IF pretendem formar para a Educação Básica ou para a Educação Profissional? O estudo limitase aos IF, e não à totalidade das instituições que compõe a Rede Federal de Educação. A pesquisa de natureza qualitativa-quantidade de base documental-bibliográfica utilizou a análise de conteúdo. Amparada no materialismo histórico dialético, fundamenta-se na contribuição de Aranha; Cunha; Floro e Dal Rio, Floro; Müller; Kuenzer; Guerra e Oliveira; Bonfim; Lima; Duarte; Facci; Libâneo; Moura, dentre outros. A preocupação com a ação pedagógica foi registrada no início das Escolas de Aprendizes Artífices e em 1917 foi criada a Escola Normal de Artes e Ofícios Venceslau Braz. A inserção das licenciaturas na rede federal é datada de 1978 com a criação dos três primeiros CEFET, no entanto, foi com a criação dos IF, em 2008, que a instituição precisou assumir-se como um lócus de Formação de Professores. A Lei nº 6.545/1978 definia que as licenciaturas dos CEFET deveriam atender a Educação Básica e a EPT. Em 1993, por meio da Lei nº 8.711, as licenciaturas deviam atender à EPT. No ano de 2000, pelo Decreto nº 3.462, as licenciaturas deveriam atender a Educação Básica e a EPT. Atualmente, pela Lei nº 11.892/2008, as licenciaturas devem atender a Educação Básica e a EPT. A pesquisa revela que no ano de 2012, 12% das licenciaturas nos IF estavam voltadas para atendimento da EPT e 88% para a Educação Básica. Em 2016, 3,44% das licenciaturas estavam voltadas para atendimento da EPT e 96,56% para a Educação Básica. O número de cursos de ensino básico técnico representa mais da metade da oferta: 56,12%. Isso mostra que a Instituição conserva o ensino técnico como um dos importantes eixos de atuação, atendendo a Lei de criação. A história da EPT evidencia que ela sempre foi modificada de acordo com as demandas do capital e que as licenciaturas tendem a seguir no mesmo sentido. O projeto de reformulação da Educação Profissional e Tecnológica, que busca a consolidação de uma identidade institucional sui generi, engloba/fomenta as licenciaturas mediante a defesa da necessidade de se configurar outro modelo de formação de professores distinto do que já havia. Pretende-se formar o professor com sólida base científica – alicerçado na verticalização, na interdisciplinaridade e na transversalidade - capaz de lidar com os problemas, advindos da prática e que tenha a pesquisa como princípio educativo.

Mit dem vorliegenden Band „Nach Bologna: Praktika im Studium – Pflicht oder Kür? Empirische Analysen und Empfehlungen für die Hochschulpraxis“ von Wilfried Schubarth, Karsten Speck und Andreas Seidel wird die Reihe „Potsdamer Beiträge zur Lehrevaluation“ unter neuem Titel und veränderter inhaltlicher Schwerpunktsetzung fortgeführt. Die Umbenennung in „Potsdamer Beiträge zur Hochschulforschung“ versteht sich als ein Schritt hin zu einer thematischen Öffnung der Reihe für die verschiedensten Felder der Hochschulforschung. Der vorliegende Band widmet sich einem der zentralen Reformziele von Bologna: der Frage des Praxis- und Berufsbezugs und dabei insbesondere den Praxisphasen im Studium. Mit der Bologna-Reform werden im bildungspolitischen Bereich sehr vielfältige strukturelle und inhaltliche Ziele verfolgt. Das Ziel dieses Bandes besteht deshalb darin, empirische Forschungen zu Praxisbezügen und Praxisphasen im Studium vorzustellen, diese in den Kontext aktueller Debatten um Studienqualität und Studienreform zu stellen sowie Folgerungen für die Gestaltung von Praxisphasen abzuleiten. Inhaltliche Schwerpunkte bilden das BMBF-Forschungsprojekt ProPrax und die Praxisphasen im Lehramtsstudium. Die Beiträge dieses Bandes gehen aus einem gleichnamigen Workshop hervor, der am 1. Oktober 2010 in Potsdam stattfand. / The present conference volume „Beyond Bologna: Internship in studies – obligation or option? Empirical analysis and recommendations on the praxis of higher education“ by Wilfried Schubarth, Karsten Speck and Andreas Seidel is part of the serial “Potsdamer Beiträge zur Lehrevaluation” which is actually renamed as “Potsdamer Beiträge zur Hochschulforschung“. The new title supports modified focal points for research and provides opportunities for several fields of higher education research. The volume focuses on the practical relevance and the development of professional skills in academic studies as one of the central intentions of the Bologna Process. This Reform involves a variety of structural and content-related intentions in the field of educational policy. The aim of this conference volume is therefore to present empirical research with regard to practical relevance and internship in academic studies. It is linked to the current debate concerning quality of academic studies as well as the higher education reform in general and draws conclusions for the practical implementation of academic internships. The ProPrax research project, founded by the BMBF, and its first results as well as internships in teacher education are main issues of this volume. The contributions result from the correspondent Potsdam conference on October 1st 2010.

A recurring question in science and engineering education is why the students do not link knowledge from theoretical classes to the real world met in laboratory courses. Mathematical models and visualisations are widely used in engineering and engineering education. Very often it is assumed that the students are familiar with the mathematical concepts used. These may be concepts taught in high school or at university level. One problem, though, is that many students have never or seldom applied their mathematical skills in other subjects, and it may be difficult for them to use their skills in a new context. Some concepts also seem to be "too difficult" to understand. One of these mathematical tools is to use Laplace Transforms to solve differential equations, and to use the derived functions to visualise transient responses in electric circuits, or control engineering. In many engineering programs at college level the application of the Laplace Transform is considered too difficult for the students to understand, but is it really, or does it depend on the teaching methods used? When applying mathematical concepts during lab work, and not teaching the mathematics and practical work in different sessions, and also using examples varied in a very systematic way, our research shows that the students approach the problem in a very different way. It shows that by developing tasks consequently according to the Theory of Variation, it is not impossible to apply the Laplace Transform already in the first year of an engineering program. The original aim of this thesis was to show: how students work with lab-tasks, especially concerning the goal to link theory to the real world how it is possible to change the ways students approach the task and thus their learning, by systematic changes in the lab-instructions During the spring 2002 students were video-recorded while working with labs in Electric Circuits. Their activity was analysed. Special focus was on what questions the students raised, and in what ways these questions were answered, and in what ways the answers were used in the further activities. This work informed the model ”learning of a complex concept”, which was used as well to analyse what students do during lab-work, and what teachers intend their students to learn. The model made it possible to see what changes in the lab-instructions that would facilitate students learning of the whole, to link theoretical models to the real world, through the labactivities. The aim of the thesis has thus become to develop a model: The learning of a complex concept show how this model can be used as well for analysis of the intended object of learning as students activities during lab-work, and thus the lived object of learning use the model in analysis of what changes in instruction that are critical for student learning. The model was used to change the instructions. The teacher interventions were included into the instructions in a systematic way, according to as well what questions that were raised by the students, as what questions that were not noticed, but expected by the teachers, as a means to form relations between theoretical aspects and measurement results. Also, problem solving sessions have been integrated into the lab sessions. Video recordings were also conducted during the spring 2003, when the new instructions were used. The students' activities were again analysed. A special focus of the thesis concerns the differences between the results from 2002 and 2003. The results are presented in four sections: Analysis of the students' questions and the teachers' answers during the lab-course 2002 Analysis of the links students need to make, the critical links for learning Analysis of the task structure before and after changes Analysis of the students' activities during the new course The thesis ends with a discussion of the conclusions which may be drawn about the possibilities to model and develop teaching sequences through research, especially concerning the aim to link theoretical models to the real world. / En stående fråga som lärare i naturvetenskapliga och tekniska utbildningar ställer är varför elever och studenter inte kopplar samman kunskaper från teoretiska kursmoment med den verklighet som möts vid laborationerna. Ett vanligt syfte med laborationer är att åstadkomma länkar mellan teori och verklighet, men dessa uteblir ofta. Många gånger används avancerade matematiska modeller och grafiska representationer, vilka studenterna lärt sig i tidigare kurser, men de har sällan eller aldrig tillämpat dessa kunskaper i andra ämnen. En av dessa matematiska hjälpmedel är Laplacetransformen, som främst används för att lösa differentialekvationer, och åskådliggöra transienta förlopp i ellära eller reglerteknik. På många universitet anses Laplacetransformen numera för svår för studenterna på kortare ingenjörsutbildningar, och kurser eller kursmoment som kräver denna har strukits ut utbildningsplanerna. Men, är det för svårt, eller beror det bara på hur man presenterar Laplacetransformen? Genom att låta studenterna arbeta parallellt med matematiken och de laborativa momenten, under kombinerade lab-lektionspass, och inte vid separata lektioner och laborationer, samt genom att variera övningsexemplen på ett mycket systematiskt sätt, enligt variationsteorin, visar vår forskning att studenterna arbetar med uppgifterna på ett helt annat sätt än tidigare. Det visar sig inte längre vara omöjligt att tillämpa Laplacetransformen redan under första året på civilingenjörsutbildning inom elektroteknik. Ursprungliga syftet med avhandlingen var att visa hur studenter arbetar med laborationsuppgifter, speciellt i relation till målet att länka samman teori och verklighet hur man kan förändra studenternas aktivitet, och därmed studenternas lärande, genom att förändra laborationsinstruktionen på ett systematiskt sätt. Under våren 2002 videofilmades studenter som utförde laborationer i en kurs i elkretsteori. Deras aktivitet analyserades. Speciellt studerades vilka frågor studenterna ställde till lärarna, på vilket sätt dessa frågor besvarades, och på vilket sätt svaren användes i den fortsatta aktiviteten. Detta ledde fram till en modell för lärande av sammansatta begrepp, som kunde användas både för att analysera vad studenterna gör och vad lärarna förväntar sig att studenterna ska lära sig. Med hjälp av modellen blev det då möjligt att se vad som behövde ändra i instruktionerna för att studenterna lättare skulle kunna utföra de aktiviteter som krävs för att länka teori och verklighet. Syftet med avhandlingen är därmed att ta fram en modell för lärande av ett sammansatt begrepp visa hur denna modell kan användas för såväl analys av önskat lärandeobjekt, som av studenternas aktivitet under laborationer, och därmed det upplevda lärandeobjektet använda modellen för att analysera vilka förändringar som är kritiska för  studenters lärande. Modellen användes för att förändra laborationsinstruktionerna. Lärarinterventionerna inkluderades i instruktionerna på ett systematiskt sätt utifrån dels vilka frågor som ställdes av studenterna, dels vilka frågor studenterna inte noterade, men som lärarna velat att studenterna skulle använda för att skapa relationer framför allt mellan teoretiska aspekter och mätresultat. Dessutom integrerades räkneövningar och laborationer. Videoinspelningar utfördes även våren 2003, då de nya instruktionerna användes. Även dessa analyserades med avseende på studenternas aktiviteter. Skillnader mellan resultaten från 2002 och 2003 står i fokus. Avhandlingens resultatdel består av: Analys av studenternas frågor och lärarnas svar under labkursen 2002 Analys av de länkar studenterna behöver skapa för att lära Analys av laborationsinstruktionerna före och efter förändringarna Analys av den laborationsaktivitet som blev resultatet av de nya instruktionerna, och vilket lärande som då blev möjligt Avhandlingen avlutas med en diskussion om de slutsatser som kan dras angående möjligheter att via forskning utveckla modeller av undervisningssekvenser för lärande där målet är att länka samman teori och verklighet

This thesis presents an investigation of undergraduate student learning with respect to physics lectures attended in English and Swedish. The work studies three connected areas: student learning patterns, bilingual scientific literacy and disciplinary discourse. Twenty-two physics students at two Swedish universities attended lectures in both English and Swedish as part of their regular undergraduate programme. These lectures were video-taped and used to contextualize in-depth, semi-structured interviews with students. When taught in English the students asked and answered fewer questions and reported be-ing less able to simultaneously follow the lecture and take notes. Students adapted to being taught in English by; asking questions after the lecture, no longer taking notes in class, read-ing sections of work before class or—in the worst case—by using the lecture for mechanical note taking. Analysis of student oral descriptions of the lecture content in both languages identified a small number of students who found it almost impossible to speak about disciplinary concepts in English. These students were first-years who had not been taught in English before. How-ever, the findings suggest that, above a certain threshold level of disciplinary language com-petence, it does not appear to matter which language students are taught in. Finally, the thesis makes a theoretical contribution to educational research. The initial lan-guage perspective is broadened to include a wide range of semiotic resources that are used in the teaching of undergraduate physics. Student learning is then characterized in terms of becoming fluent in a disciplinary discourse. It is posited that in order to achieve an appropri-ate, holistic experience of any given disciplinary concept, students will need to become fluent in a critical constellation of disciplinary semiotic resources.

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Including small or large project courses is widely recognized as important in preparing computer science students for a professional career. Typical examples are the capstone courses, which often are seen as the jewel in the crown since this is where students will bring their previous knowledge and skills together to show mastery of their craft. These courses are, however, quite complex with often contradictory ideas about how to actually run them in order to reach the learning objectives. This thesis deals with the contrast between students’ experiences and teachers’ expectations of such courses. The research presented in this thesis contributes to the field of knowledge of computer science project courses by investigating processes that are of importance in relation to the desired practices that the students’ should experience. A method is developed, based on the theory of communities of practice and an identification of key features in project work, for evaluating project courses in terms of setting up a learning environment suitable for its learning objectives. The method is focused on capturing the students’ experiences, which then are mapped onto desirable outcomes, as seen from the teachers’ point of view and expressed in terms of communities of practice theory. The result of the analysis is stories capturing the strengths and deficiencies that can be observed in computer science project courses. Key findings are that rewarding learning environments are not automatically created by following the project model; unclear goals and priorities, for example the choice between focusing on the result of the project or the learning process, can confound, or hinder, the learning outcome. Students may experience a difficult choice between using the project course as a way to become more specialized in a particular area or to develop skills that broaden their knowledge. The method developed throughout the thesis is a result in itself, allowing academics and institutions to reason systematically about the aims and learning outcomes of project coursework. The strength of the method lies in the insight gained from combining the concept of communities of practice with a series of studies that identify key features of project courses, in order to reveal and explain why students’ experience processes and learning outcomes in particular ways.

Senior university students taking an internationally distributed project course in computer systems find themselves in a complex learning situation. To understand how they experience computer systems and act in their learning situation, the what, the why, the how and the where of their learning have been studied from the students’ perspective. The what aspect concerns the students’ understanding of concepts within computer systems: network protocols. The why aspect concerns the students’ objectives to learn computer systems. The how aspect concerns how the students go about learning. The where aspect concerns the students’ experience of their learning environment. These metaphorical entities are then synthesised to form a whole. The emphasis on the students’ experience of their learning motivates a phenomenographic research approach as the core of a study that is extended with elements of activity theory. The methodological framework that is developed from these research approaches enables the researcher to retain focus on learning, and specifically the learning of computer systems, throughout. By applying the framework, the complexity in the learning is unpacked and conclusions are drawn on the students’ learning of computer systems. The results are structural, qualitative, and empirically derived from interview data. They depict the students’ experience of their learning of computer systems in their experienced learning situation and highlight factors that facilitate learning. The results comprise sets of qualitatively different categories that describe how the students relate to their learning in their experienced learning environment. The sets of categories, grouped after the four components (what, why, how and where), are synthesised to describe the whole of the students’ experience of learning computer systems. This study advances the discussion about learning computer systems and demonstrates how theoretically anchored research contributes to teaching and learning in the field. Its multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary character invites further debate, and thus, advances the field.

Kinetic studies determining the second order rate constants for the monoepoxidation of cyclic dienes, 1,3-cyclohexadiene and 1,3-cyclooctadiene, and the epoxidation of cis-/trans-2-hexenes by dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) were carried out using UV methodology. Consistent with published results, the kinetics of cis-/trans-2-hexenes by DMDO showed greater reactivity of the cis-isomer compared to that of the trans-compound. Molecular modeling studies for the epoxidation of a series of cis-/trans-alkenes, by DMDO were carried out using the DFT approach. The mechanism of epoxidation by DMDO was modeled by determining the transition state geometry and calculating the electronic activation energies and relative reactivities. The calculations were consistent with a concerted, electrophilic, exothermic process with a spiro-transition state for all cases. Kinetic studies for the monoepoxidation of the cyclic dienes showed a greater reactivity for 1,3-cyclohexadiene compared to that for 1,3-cyclooctadiene. The DFT method was employed to successfully model the transition state for the monoepoxidation of the cyclic dienes by DMDO and successfully predict the relative reactivities. Student misconceptions, at the high school and/or middle school level involving energy changes and chemical reactions have been prevalently noted in literature (by ACS and AAAS). Two examples of these misconceptions are: 1) heat is always needed to initiate a chemical reaction and 2) all chemical reactions create or destroy energy. In order to address these types of misconceptions, an educational module detailing the influence of energy changes on chemical reactions has been developed in conjunction with the Bio-bus program for middle and high school students. Visual aids and hands-on activities were developed in the module to potentially help students overcome/deal with the common misconceptions. Surveys were designed to access the situations (determine the extent of the misconceptions) and the effectiveness of the educational module, before and immediately after the module and one-month later to determine retention. The educational module has been presented to approximately 100 high school students from underrepresented communities. Pre-survey data confirmed the presence of the common misconceptions reported in the literature. Data from the post-survey indicated the new instructional module enhanced the student’s interest of science and expanded their content knowledge and laboratory skills. The post-survey data (immediately following the module) showed a significant difference in two out of five misconceptions when compared to the pre-survey data. However, this significance decreased when the 1-month post-survey data were compared to the pre-survey data.