Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-179). / This mixed methods dissertation investigates whether the Matric Mathematics results and enrolments at high schools in the EMDC East zone of Cape Town have been impacted by the availability of computers and mathematical software (as provided by the Khanya Project); how the teachers at one school in Khayelitsha, Cape Town are using the computer as a tool to teach Mathematics, and whether their pedagogy changes between the Mathematics lessons in the conventional classroom and the computer lab. A series of statistical tests (Mann-Whitney U test; independent samples t-test; paired samples t-tests and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test) were applied to various samples of the 2007 Matric Mathematics data of high schools in the EMDC East, obtained from WCED. What was concluded was that there was no significant difference between the Matric Mathematics results of the schools with the computers and those without; no significant change in the results after the Khanya labs were installed; no significant change in the percentage of pupils that passed Matric Mathematics; and no significant change in Higher Grade Mathematics enrolment rates. The overall conclusion from the quantitative research was thus that no significant differences were brought about by the use of computers in Mathematics in the EMDC East schools. So, what does happen when the computers are being used? This led to qualitative research on whether and how computers impact pedagogy: observations of ten Mathematics lessons in a selective township school in Khayelitsha were undertaken, and transcriptions made. These transcriptions were analysed in order to determine how the teachers were using the computers as a pedagogical tool, and whether their pedagogy varies across different lesson contexts (face-to-face lessons and computer lab lessons). In the case of the former question, it was found that the computers were primarily being used as a drill-and-practise tool for revision purposes; in other words, as though they were electronic textbooks. In order to answer the latter question, each sentence of each teacher was categorised according to an analytical framework in order to determine if there were any variation in semiotic mediation (in other words, teacher talk) between the classroom and the computer lab. Chi-squared tests for independence indicated that there was a significant, moderate to strong association between the location of the lesson and the type of talk; thus there is significant variation in semiotic variation between the two venues and the teachers' pedagogy does vary between the face-to-face classroom and the computer lab. Further chi-squared tests also indicated significant, moderate to strong associations between the location of the lesson and the scale of interaction (class or individual); and between the type of talk and scale of interaction.

The purpose of this study was to analyze and record the characteristics of grandparents who are raising school-aged children as they relate to how the United States is responding to their needs and the needs of their grandchildren. The researcher sought to determine the characteristics of grandparent-headed households with no parent present in regards to housing, nutritional assistance, transportation, employment, age of children in the household, language spoken in the home, and family type, as measured by the 2010 United States Census Bureau. This study was conducted using a quantitative, descriptive research design. The data used for this study were indirect estimates produced by statistical model-based methods using sample survey, decennial census, and administrative data sources compiled by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau collects data about American families for the nation, states and communities, and data related to socioeconomic status, family composition, and language spoken were used to more fully understand characteristics of households where grandparents are raising grandchildren outside of the traditional 1-2 parent American households. Participants included the 92 grandparent-headed households from among the 15,482 participants in the American Community Survey, which included 556 households where grandparents were living with grandchildren. To address the research questions, descriptive statistics were used, including frequencies and percentages. The statistical package SPSS was used to analyze the data. The results of this study revealed that of the grandparents who lived with their grandchildren where there was no parent present, 100% lived in housing units, 75% participated in the yearly food stamp/supplemental nutrition assistance program, 36% had no transportation, 26% were female householders who were unemployed and did not have a husband living in the household, 74% had related children who were 6-17 years old in the household, 51% lived in homes where only English was spoken, and 53% resided in homes where there was a married couple, while 39% of them were in homes with female householders with no husband present.

Depuis quelques années, les parents développent un intérêt grandissant et précoce pour la scolarité de leur enfant dès son jeune âge. Dans une perspective exploratoire, les objectifs de la présente étude consistent à repérer certains processus liés à l’éducation familiale qui favorisent l’adaptation socio-affective et l’intégration scolaire du jeune enfant. Le recueil de données s’est déroulé en trois phases pendant l’année scolaire 2007-2008. Les participants et les outils d’investigation varient en fonction des étapes. Pour l’étape 1, les parents (N=215) ont rempli un questionnaire sur l’accompagnement éducatif. Lors de l’étape 2, les parents et les enseignants ont complété le questionnaire PSA (version parent en cours de validation et version enseignant de Dumas, Lafreniere, Capuano, & Durning, 1997) pour établir le niveau d’adaptation socio-affective des enfants (N=59, 28 garçons et 31 filles). Pour l’étape 3, le Boehm-R (Boehm-R, 1989), une épreuve sur les compétences de base à acquérir en grande section, a permis d’évaluer les compétences scolaires des enfants en fin d’année scolaire (N=53, 24 garçons et 29 filles). La consultation de leur livret d’évaluation a permis d’obtenir des renseignements sur les acquisitions de chaque enfant/élève au cours de l’année scolaire. Les résultats démontrent une tendance d’homogénéisation de l’accompagnement éducatif paternel et maternel, même si des différences paternelles et maternelles sont constatées en fonction du niveau d’études du parent, du sexe et du rang de l’enfant, ainsi que du nombre d’enfants dans la fratrie. Par ailleurs, le sexe de l’enfant n’affecte ni son adaptation socio-affective ni ses compétences scolaires. Des liens entre l’affectivité du jeune enfant avec le score au Boehm-R sont constatés, alors que certaines dimensions de l’accompagnement éducatif du père et de la mère ont un impact sur l’adaptation socio-affective ou les compétences scolaires de l’enfant. Même si nous préconisons une certaine vigilance quant à l’interprétation des résultats de cette étude, cette dernière démontre, d’une part, la combinaison complexe des facteurs individuels et socio-économiques sur les composantes de l’accompagnement éducatif parental et, d’autre part, de l’accompagnement éducatif parental sur le développement socio-affectif et scolaire du jeune enfant. / Parents have developed an increasing interest for their child’s schooling during these past few years. The present study tries to understand family education processes which promote the socio-emotional adaptation and school skills of young children.Data has been collected during the school year 2007-2008. Participants and investigative tools vary according to the stages of the research. For the first part, parents (N=215) complete a questionnaire about their educational support towards their child. During the second part, parents and teachers complete the PSA questionnaire (parent’s version is still in validation and teacher’s version developed by Dumas, Lafreniere, Capuano, and Durning, 1997). The socio-emotional adaptation of the child (N=59, 28 boys and 31 girls) was established. For the third part, the children perform the Boehm-R test (Boehm-R, 1989) which evaluates the basic skills that a child must acquired at the end of the kindergarten (N = 53, 24 boys and 29 girls). The consultation of the booklet assessment of each child/young student yielded information on their acquisitions during the school year.The results show a trend of homogenization of paternal and maternal educational support, although paternal and maternal differences are observed depending on the level of education of the parent, the sex and birth order of the child, as well as on the sibling.However, the sex of the child does not affect his socio-emotional adjustment or academic skills. Links between the emotions of the young child with the Boehm-R score are established, while some aspects of educational support of the father and mother have an impact on the socio-emotional adjustment and academic skills of the child.Though vigilance is recommended while interpreting the results of this study, it demonstrates, on one hand, the complex combination of individual and socio-economic components of the parental educational support and, on the other hand, the educational support of parent in socio-emotional development and academics skills of young children.

La tesi esamina le principali rappresentazioni della sofferenza infantile nella società contemporanea, con un affondo sul tema della malattia oncologica che coinvolge un bambino e la sua famiglia. L’indagine si propone di offrire ai genitori la possibilità di esprimersi in merito alle modificazioni dei propri stili educativi che la malattia e l’ospedalizzazione comportano. L’idea consiste nel dedicare ai genitori del tempo per offrire loro uno spazio di pensiero in merito alle modificazioni avvenute negli equilibri familiari e supportarli nell’individuare una nuova progettualità familiare. Accompagnare i genitori ad assumere consapevolezza del cambiamento personale e della coppia genitoriale verificatosi durante la degenza ospedaliera del figlio significa anche aiutarli a identificare nuove modalità di interazione con i figli, sulla scorta dei significati dell’esperienza attraversata. Significa inoltre aiutare gli operatori sanitari a percepire i genitori come persone competenti nella gestione educativa del figlio e pertanto a migliorare costantemente la presa in carico non solo del bambino, ma anche della sua famiglia. L’indagine in generale, la flessibilità degli strumenti in particolare, ha permesso di raggiungere gli obiettivi prefissati. / The purpose of this research is to examine the nature of the experiences of parents of children with cancer. In fact, childhood cancer is a potentially life-changing experience for mothers and fathers. Overall, the research move in terms of theoretical reflection and empirical research. The study explore the main representations of the suffering of children in contemporary society, with special attention to the suffering due to oncological disease. Also, the research explore the influences of the hospital context on the members of the family, intending only not the physical environment, but also the figures of various kind that are daily reported with their. The investigation in general, the flexibility of the tools in particular, has allowed the parents to comment on the changes of their educational styles that illness and hospitalization cause.

The aim of the study was to establish how and compile educational relationship-focussed reading support strategies for educators to support learners who experience barriers to reading. The educator-learner relationship first had to be delineated by establishing the dimensions of the relationship, namely emotional, cognitive and value-driven activities that impact on the learner's feelings, knowledge and attitudes towards his or her world, and for the purpose of this study, how these pertain to the learner's reading development. Components of reading development, as well as barriers to reading and appropriate supportive reading activities were also described. The most essential reading skills are indicated to be a motivation to read, linguistic cueing in reading in terms of phonemic, morphemic, syntactic and semantic cueing, sight word recognition and comprehension. On this theoretical basis the reading support strategies were compiled encompassing reading and relationship-focused activities. Aims for achieving the relationship and reading skills were established, for which appropriate reading and relationship activities were then compiled. Qualitative research was implemented in the design and implementation of the reading strategies. Data were obtained from implementing the reading and relationship-focussed strategies, from learners' reading profiles, from educators' and learners' evaluation of the strategies, as well as from the researcher's own evaluation as a research participant. All the results were then triangulated to arrive at the findings of the research. These indicate that the reading and relationship activities will be successful if presented simultaneously, and with full cooperation by educators and learners alike. The contribution as well as the limitations of the research are indicated, and finally recommendations are provided. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The aim of the study was to establish how and compile educational relationship-focussed reading support strategies for educators to support learners who experience barriers to reading. The educator-learner relationship first had to be delineated by establishing the dimensions of the relationship, namely emotional, cognitive and value-driven activities that impact on the learner's feelings, knowledge and attitudes towards his or her world, and for the purpose of this study, how these pertain to the learner's reading development. Components of reading development, as well as barriers to reading and appropriate supportive reading activities were also described. The most essential reading skills are indicated to be a motivation to read, linguistic cueing in reading in terms of phonemic, morphemic, syntactic and semantic cueing, sight word recognition and comprehension. On this theoretical basis the reading support strategies were compiled encompassing reading and relationship-focused activities. Aims for achieving the relationship and reading skills were established, for which appropriate reading and relationship activities were then compiled. Qualitative research was implemented in the design and implementation of the reading strategies. Data were obtained from implementing the reading and relationship-focussed strategies, from learners' reading profiles, from educators' and learners' evaluation of the strategies, as well as from the researcher's own evaluation as a research participant. All the results were then triangulated to arrive at the findings of the research. These indicate that the reading and relationship activities will be successful if presented simultaneously, and with full cooperation by educators and learners alike. The contribution as well as the limitations of the research are indicated, and finally recommendations are provided. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This thesis describes the architecture, implementation issues and evaluation of Mentor - an educational support system designed to mentor students in their university studies. Students can ask (by typing) natural language questions and Mentor will use several educational paradigms to present information from its Knowledge Base or from data-mined online Web sites to respond. Typically the questions focus on the student’s assignments or in their preparation for their examinations. Mentor is also pro-active in that it prompts the student with questions such as "Have you started your assignment yet?". If the student responds and enters into a dialogue with Mentor, then, based upon the student’s questions and answers, it guides them through a Directed Learning Path planned by the lecturer, specific to that assessment. The objectives of the research were to determine if such a system could be designed, developed and applied in a large-scale, real-world environment and to determine if the resulting system was beneficial to students using it. The study was significant in that it provided an analysis of the design and implementation of the system as well as a detailed evaluation of its use. This research integrated the Computer Science disciplines of network communication, natural language parsing, user interface design and software agents, together with pedagogies from the Computer Aided Instruction and Intelligent Tutoring System fields of Education. Collectively, these disciplines provide the foundation for the two main thesis research areas of Dialogue Management and Tutorial Dialogue Systems. The development and analysis of the Mentor System required the design and implementation of an easy to use text based interface as well as a hyper- and multi-media graphical user interface, a client-server system, and a dialogue management system based on an extensible kernel. The multi-user Java-based client-server system used Perl-5 Regular Expression pattern matching for Natural Language Parsing along with a state-based Dialogue Manager and a Knowledge Base marked up using the XML-based Virtual Human Markup Language. The kernel was also used in other Dialogue Management applications such as with computer generated Talking Heads. The system also enabled a user to easily program their own knowledge into the Knowledge Base as well as to program new information retrieval or management tasks so that the system could grow with the user. The overall framework to integrate and manage the above components into a usable system employed suitable educational pedagogies that helped in the student’s learning process. The thesis outlines the learning paradigms used in, and summarises the evaluation of, three course-based Case Studies of university students’ perception of the system to see how effective and useful it was, and whether students benefited from using it. This thesis will demonstrate that Mentor met its objectives and was very successful in helping students with their university studies. As one participant indicated: ‘I couldn’t have done without it.’

The problem of this study was to determine if at-risk students who were enrolled in an educational support class for one hour a day would have an improvement on the four at-risk indicators being measured over students not enrolled in the academic support program. The four at-risk indicators are grade point average, self-concept, days absent from school, and discipline referrals. The hypothesis formulated for this study predicted no significant difference in mean scores of the four measured indicators between groups. These indicators were measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, official school attendance records, official school transcripts, and the school's discipline records book. The at-risk population was identified from the use of an at-risk indicator scale. After random placement into either the control or experimental groups the samples were divided and analyzed according to grade and gender. The study was conducted over a 12 week period and included students from the Memphis, Michigan School District in grades six through nine. Data were analyzed by the independent means t test at the .05 level. The experimental group means were further analyzed for practical significance and for directional improvement. A series of tables provides a comparison of scores for all students participating in the study. For students participating in the experimental group three of the four indicators, self-esteem, days absent from school, and grade point average had a statistically significant difference in mean scores. The majority of mean scores moved in a direction of improvement indicating enrollment in the treatment had a positive influence on the at-risk indicators. Most scores that did not show a statistically significant difference in means did report a high level of practical significance that was a result of being enrolled in the academic support program.

Many academic institutions are tasked with trying to improve the usability of their online educational support technologies such as ePortfolios, intelligent websites, and other interface technology to make them as efficient as possible to meet the requirements of their end users. This is particularly important for the academic institutions during times and situations when they may not have a live human presence available to respond to various inquiries from their end users about the technology. The challenges of an academic institution in making its ePortfolios viable can cost itself, its end users, as well as its other stakeholders, money, time, and confidence in the technology. This study is about usability testing for improving the user-interface for ePortfolios. This is a qualitative study using the think-aloud protocol (TAP) for data collection and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) for data analysis.

Syftet med denna studie var att bidra med kunskapsutvecklingen gällande diskursen om dels begreppet ADHD, dels specialpedagogiskt stöd på fritidshemmet till elever med ADHD utifrån fritidspedagogernas berättelser. Resultaten analyserades genom diskursanalys, en kvalitativ metod där halvstrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med anställd personal i fritidshem. I resultaten framstår det att fritidspedagogerna beskriver begreppet ADHD i fritidshemmet med medicinska och normativa uttryck. Specialpedagogiskt stöd som ges till elever med ADHD på fritidshemmet beskrivs utifrån både det relationella och det kategoriska perspektivet. I vidare forskning skulle det vara intressant att genomföra en studie för att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan användningen av medicinska och normativa uttryck och det perspektiv på specialpedagogiskt stöd som ges i fritidshemmet.