L2 motivational research may be described as an ongoing quest to identify motivational attributes underlying motivated language learning behaviour. This study employs a novel theoretical and methodological focus in this endeavour: firstly, it applies theories of the self to a motivational exploration of L2 motivation involving first-year students studying towards German degree courses at two major UK universities. Secondly, the study explicitly addresses the time- and context-sensitive nature of motivational attributes. While the majority of L2 motivational studies treat motivational attributes as static and rely heavily on one-off surveys, this study uses a longitudinal mixed-methods approach. Questionnaires were administered at the beginning and at the end of the academic year, and students were interviewed five times over the course of the academic year. Results suggest that the concept of integrative orientation in its traditional sense plays a minor role for these students. The concepts of the ideal L2 self and intrinsic motivation are better suited to capture these students’ motivation for studying German, and together with self-efficacy beliefs they offer a good basis for understanding students’ motivated engagement with language learning throughout the year. However, the data also reveal that considerable changes take place during the course of the year. Importantly, students’ intrinsic motivation significantly decreases and so do self-efficacy beliefs for speaking and listening, a trend concomitant with decreasing effort to engage with language learning. The qualitative data shed light on the motivational changes observed, and provide a detailed and rich picture of the interplay between motivation and contextual factors. Based on the empirical insights gained, a theoretical framework is proposed which links the motivational attributes examined and situates them within multilayered contextual spheres. The thesis concludes by outlining pedagogical suggestions how to counteract decreasing motivation during the first year at university.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisors: Dr. Pamela Sissi Carroll, Dr. Susan N. Wood, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Middle and Secondary Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

<p> This thesis looks at over 3,000 inscriptions of unmarried daughters, under the age of 20, during the Roman Empire. It discusses the formulaic ways in which daughters were described on their tombstones based on their age and the Roman virtues valued at the time. It primarily focuses on descriptors, superlatives used, the dedicators who commissioned the work, girls who died before their wedding, and ages of girls which have excesses in the months or days she lived as inscribed on her epitaph.</p>

The present study evaluates the language improvement courses in the undergraduate curriculum of the Department of English Language Teaching (ELT) at Eastern Mediterranean University. The language improvement courses are: Oral Communication Skills I and II, Reading Skills I, II, and Advanced Reading Skills, Writing Skills I, II and Advanced Writing Skills, and English Grammar I and II. In this evaluation study, the adapted version of Bellon and Handler&rsquo / s (1982) curriculum evaluation model was employed. The participants of the study were six instructors teaching the language improvement courses and students enrolled in these courses. The data, both qualitative and quantitative, were collected through course evaluation questionnaires for students, interviews with students and teachers, classroom observations, and examination of relevant written documents such as course policy sheets, course materials, and assessment tools used in the courses. The results of the study show that generally the language improvement courses were effective in terms of five aspects specified in the evaluation model employed in the study, as perceived by the students and the instructors. However, the students and the instructors suggested making some changes to the existing language improvement courses to make them more effective and better adjusted to the students&rsquo / needs and expectations. Some important conclusions drawn and recommendations made were: Practice (i.e. practice and production) component in the language improvement courses should be enhanced, a wider variety of authentic materials should be used in the courses, various methods and activities should be utilized in teaching-learning process, and intra-subject and inter-subject relationships (i.e. continuity and coherence) between or among the courses need to be strengthened.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Wollongong, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: p. 181-193.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-91).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-91) Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A. (English Language and Linguistics))--Rhodes University, 2006.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2017-03-17T19:16:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Alda Mendes Baffa.pdf: 1300022 bytes, checksum: 83bc1381afd0939a6cbecd3991dfee59 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-17T19:16:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alda Mendes Baffa.pdf: 1300022 bytes, checksum: 83bc1381afd0939a6cbecd3991dfee59 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This paper conducted an investigation which prioritized the unveiling of representations of students of a pedagogy distance learning course on teaching and dialogical language. This is a qualitative research that conducted a case study involving 17 students from last year (8th semester) of a pedagogy course the distance, a higher education institution, private, located in the Greater ABC region. The guiding research question was: What is the knowledge that the students of the Faculty of Education at a distance have on teaching language, dialogical and its importance for the construction of knowledge? The hypothesis assumes that the studies and training in ODL bring a new type of reflective and operative teaching, but the development and importance attributed to the teaching language come not only from the Faculty of Education in distance education, but also other experiences subjects who are in training. The purpose was to investigate and reflect on the representations of students about the training they are receiving interface with language/dialogicity. To collect data, a questionnaire was applied – with open questions and closed questions – to the profile disclosure and representations about the guiding question of research and analysis of these data was to reference Franco (2003) and Szymanski (2010) for the methodology of content analysis. The theoretical framework that based the research included authors who helped us produce reflections on language, constitution of the subject and the importance of language in the construction of knowledge, as Bakhtin (1999 and 2000), Geraldi (1997) and Orlandi (1997). For the recovery of historical and discussions on the classroom pedagogy course and distance, we selected some authors as Gatti and Barretto (2009); to the crisis of degrees and teaching identity, Gatti and Barretto (2008 and 2010); to research the public policies of training, recovery and encouraging teaching career, Brzenzinski (2013), Tardiff and Lessard (2014), and we seek in Nóvoa (1992) and Libâneo (2002) the professionalism of ideas, professionalization and professionalism; in Saviani (2012) a critical study of the National Curriculum Guidelines for Education Course. In Bahia and Duran (2009) we seek reflections on the training of teachers in distance courses; in Bahia (2014) studies on initial teacher training at a distance, and Azevedo (2013) learning and language in Distance Education. The results of the research point to the great importance given by the students of distance learning to language, their dialogical and interlocutive development, their importance in the construction of knowledge and in the development of the interaction between the interlocutors in Distance Education and the contribution however, as far as dialogue is concerned, the dialogic language is somewhat impaired because the interaction is small (although it exists), and the lack of real-time debates compromises the construction of a dialogue / O presente trabalho realizou uma investigação que priorizou o desvelamento das representações de alunos, de um curso de Pedagogia a distância, sobre linguagem docente e dialogicidade. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de cunho qualitativo, especificamente, um estudo de caso envolvendo 17 alunos do último ano (8º semestre) de um curso de Pedagogia a distância, de uma instituição de ensino superior, particular, localizada na região do Grande ABC paulista. A questão norteadora da investigação foi: Qual o conhecimento que os alunos do curso de Pedagogia a distância têm sobre linguagem docente, dialogicidade e sua importância para a construção do conhecimento? A hipótese parte do pressuposto de que os estudos e a formação em EAD trazem uma nova modalidade de docência reflexiva e decisória, porém, o desenvolvimento e importância atribuídos à linguagem docente vêm, não só do curso de Pedagogia em EAD, mas também de outras experiências dos sujeitos que estão em formação. O objetivo foi o de investigar e refletir sobre as representações dos alunos acerca da formação que estão recebendo em interface com a linguagem/dialogicidade. Para a coleta de dados foi aplicado um questionário – com questões abertas e questões fechadas – para o desvelamento do perfil e das representações acerca da questão norteadora da investigação e, a análise destes dados, teve como referência Franco (2003) e Szymanski (2010) para a metodologia de análise de conteúdo. O referencial teórico que embasou a pesquisa contou com autores que nos auxiliaram a produzir reflexões sobre linguagem, constituição do sujeito e a importância da linguagem na construção do conhecimento, como Bakhtin (1999 e 2000), Geraldi (1997) e Orlandi (1997). Para a recuperação do histórico e discussões sobre do curso de Pedagogia presencial e a distância selecionamos alguns autores como Gatti e Barretto (2009); para a crise das licenciaturas e identidade docente, Gatti e Barretto (2008 e 2010); para pesquisarmos as políticas públicas de formação, valorização e incentivo à carreira docente, Brzenzinski (2013), Tardiff e Lessard (2014), e fomos buscar em Nóvoa (1992) e Libâneo (2002) as ideias de profissionalidade, profissionalização e profissionalismo; em Saviani (2012) um estudo crítico sobre as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Pedagogia. Em Bahia e Duran (2009) buscamos reflexões sobre a formação de professores em cursos a distância; em Bahia (2014) estudos sobre a formação inicial de professores a distância, e em Azevedo (2013) a aprendizagem e a linguagem na Educação a Distância. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam para a grande importância, dada pelos alunos do curso de Pedagogia a distância, à linguagem, seu desenvolvimento dialógico e interlocutivo, sua importância na construção do conhecimento e no desenvolvimento da interação entre os interlocutores na Educação a Distância e a contribuição desta para a construção de um novo discurso educacional, porém, no que se refere à dialogicidade, a linguagem dialógica fica um pouco prejudicada, pois a interação é pequena (embora exista), e a falta de debates em tempo real compromete a construção de um diálogo mais efetivo.