O objetivo desta dissertação é apresentar um estudo sobre o emprego de demonstrações em uma narrativa contada em língua de sinais brasileira (libras). Este trabalho parte da ideia de que a copresença de participantes na interação tem influência na maneira como a narrativa é expressa e interpretada (McCleary 2011; McCleary & Viotti 2014). A investigação dos elementos envolvidos na elaboração das demonstrações é feita a partir de uma perspectiva multimodal. Para tratar da multimodalidade em interações presenciais, tomei como base as propostas de Clark (1996) e Hutchins (2010), segundo as quais os participantes de uma interação precisam se coordenar para a realização de atividades conjuntas. Nessa perspectiva, demonstrar envolve crucialmente dois aspectos: i) a habilidade de se coordenar na imaginação conjunta dos elementos da narrativa, como os cenários, as personagens e suas ações, os eventos etc; e ii) o uso do corpo, de gestos de diferentes tipos e do espaço como ferramentas nesse ato imaginativo situado na interação. Para estudar demonstrações especificamente em discursos sinalizados, tomei como base Liddell (2003) e Dudis (2007), que analisaram demonstrações em discursos em língua de sinais americana (ASL), e McCleary & Viotti (2010, 2011, 2014), que analisaram narrativas em libras. A partir da aproximação entre os trabalhos desses autores, foi possível observar: i) as ocorrências de demonstrações em diferentes níveis discursivos; e ii) a relevância de considerar o nível do narrador nas análises de ocorrências de demonstração. A narrativa analisada, intitulada \"Bolinha de Ping Pong\", foi transcrita no software ELAN seguindo o modelo de transcrição proposto por McCleary, Viotti & Leite (2010). A análise trouxe evidências de que a demonstração é uma estratégia discursiva central em narrativas sinalizadas, e que contar histórias fluentemente envolve, em grande medida, a habilidade no uso de demonstração, integrada com outras estratégias narrativas. / This thesis aims at presenting a study of uses of demonstration in a narrative in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). The study is based on the idea that the co-presence of the participants involved in any interaction influences the way in which the narrative is expressed and interpreted (McCleary 2011; McCleary & Viotti 2014). The analysis of the elements involved in the use of demonstrations along the narrative is based on a multimodal approach. In order to describe the multimodality in face-to-face interaction, I have used models put forward by Clark (1996) and Hutchins (2010). These authors suggest that participants in any interaction coordinate themselves to perform joint activities. According to that approach, demonstration crucially involves two aspects: i) the ability to coordinate the joint imagination of elements of the narrative such as scenarios, characters, actions, events, etc; and ii) the use of the body, different kinds of gesture and the space as tools during that construct the imaginative act in the interaction. For the study of demonstrations in signed discourses, specifically, I based my analyses on Liddell (2003) and Dudis (2007), who described the use of demonstration in discourses in American Sign Language, and on McCleary & Viotti (2010, 2011, 2014), who analyzed narratives in Libras. Based on these authors, it was possible to observe: i) the uses of demonstrations are different levels of narrative discourse; ii) the relevance of taking into account the narrator level to the analysis of uses of demonstration. The analyzed narrative entitled Ping Pong ball was transcribed using the software ELAN, following the model proposed in McCleary, Viotti & Leite (2010). The analysis implies that demonstration is a central discursive strategy in signed narratives, and that, to a great extent, fluency in signing stories involves the ability to use demonstrations, integrated with other narrative strategies.

This study compared graduate student attitudes toward different instructional approaches within online, blended, and face-to-face courses in a public institution of higher learning. The participants completed an online survey questionnaire that was designed by the researcher using 4 learning theories in education: behavioral, cognitive, constructivism, and humanistic (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007) approaches toward teaching and learning. There were 210 total responses from graduate students enrolled during 2013 spring semester. There were more female (71.4%) than male (28.6%) students who responded. Previous studies have compared face-to-face (F2F) and online methods of instructions and have shown mixed results. Whereas some studies have shown F2F instructional methods as favorable to students, others found no differences between F2F and online methods. This study was guided by 4 research questions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t test statistical procedures were used to analyze the data. The findings of this study showed significant differences in students’ preference in instructional methods and in instructional approaches (behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, and constructivist). The study found that full-time graduate students tended to prefer F2F instructional methods, while part-time students preferred online methods. Additionally younger students (< 35 years) reported stronger preference for F2F methods of instruction than older students (> 36 years) in cognitive and constructivist instructional approaches with no significant differences by age for behavioral and humanistic instructional approaches.

As part of a nationwide effort to increase the postsecondary educational attainment levels of citizens, community colleges have expanded offerings of courses and programs to more effectively meet the needs of students. Online courses offer convenience and flexibility that traditional face-to-face classes do not. These features appeal to students with family and work responsibilities that typically make attending classes on campus difficult. However, many of the students who tend to take courses in this instructional format have characteristics that place them at high-risk for academic failure. Because of the traditional mission of community colleges, they generally serve more students who fit this highrisk profile. Despite the promise and potential of online delivery systems, studies have associated distance education with higher student withdrawal rates. In addition, research has indicated that online students tend to earn lower grades than students in comparable face-to-face classes. The existence of contrasting findings in the literature exposes the need for additional empirical research relative to the overall success of students in online courses, as well as on factors associated with success in distance education. This is especially true for community college students. The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences existed in student success at the community college level in online courses as compared to face-to-face courses. In addition, the researchers investigated the relationship between selected demographic, academic, enrollment, and external environmental factors and student success in online courses. The study involved secondary data analysis of quantitative data relevant to students enrolled in course sections taught by instructors who taught both online and face-to-face sections of the same course within the same semester from fall 2012 through spring 2015. The target population included 4,604 students enrolled at a public 2-year community college located in Tennessee. Results indicated there was a significant difference in success between students taking a course online and students taking a course face-to-face. Also, there was a significant difference in success based on instructional method when the following factors were considered: age group, gender, student academic classification, and Pell Grant eligibility status. There was no significant difference in success based on instructional method when first-generation college student status was considered.

The obesity epidemic remains a serious issue in the United States leading to significant public health implications and costs. Few weight loss interventions paring mobile technology with face-to-face interventions have been conducted in rural communities. Yet, mobile technology interventions offer good potential for delivery but it is unclear if the combination of these weight loss strategies are beneficial. This study sought to examine how integrating mobile technology with face-to-face weight loss interventions in rural communities affects weight loss. Additionally, to determine if mobile technology paired with face-to-face interventions could increase autonomous and controlled motivation levels among adults in rural Kentucky. The addition of mobile technology with face-to-face intervention provided no significant interaction effect for weight loss compared to the mobile technology group alone. However, a group and time effect was observed for weight loss change. An interaction effect for autonomous motivation indicated that neither group changed independently, but comparing their change over time, the intervention group increased while the control group decreased. A time effect was found as controlled motivation decreased from baseline to final. Future research is required to develop weight loss interventions using technology and face-to-face strategies that may enhance motivation and weight loss outcomes.

Although a mandate was given in an urban southern university for instructors in the Adult Professional Studies Program (APS) to begin transitioning their face-to-face courses to online curricula, few courses have been converted. The purpose of this case study was to determine APS instructors' perceptions of developing and transitioning face-to-face courses to an online format. Lewin's change theory and force field analysis provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions concerned the faculty's perceptions of developing and transitioning courses to an online format. A purposeful sample of fulltime and adjunct faculty, with different levels of expertise in online courses within the APS department was invited to participate. Semistructured interview data from these faculty (n = 9) - were analyzed manually using color coding to determine the needs and barriers for instructors transitioning their face-to-face courses to online curricula. According to the study findings, the APS faculty saw value in online education, but perceived many obstacles that keep them from fully investing into this type of instruction. 10 themes were identified through data analysis in this study. These themes were used to create a 3-day professional development (PD) project for faculty members in the APS to assist educators in creating appropriate innovations for teaching and learning in an online setting. Creating a comprehensive, 3-day PD training for APS staff and faculty that address barriers noted in the findings of the study and diverse learning opportunities created learning opportunities for nontraditional students in the APS.

The role of local Chinese media has become more important as the size of the Chinese community in New Zealand has increased rapidly in recent years. The function of local Chinese media could be like a bridge connecting the Chinese community and the mainstream society. This was an exploratory study which examined the current situation of local Chinese media to determine such issues as to whether they are the main source of information for the Chinese community, what if any difficulties they are facing and how they may develop in the future. A general research was conducted for the local Chinese media in Auckland, which covers brief introductions for some local Chinese newspapers, radio, websites, and the sole Chinese television company-World TV. Meanwhile, the researcher collected 102 questionnaires and conducted 10 in-depth interviews from the local Chinese residents and the staff working in local Chinese media companies. The findings of research suggest that most local Chinese residents utilize Chinese language media as a tool to collect daily information either from local society or their original countries. The local Chinese media not only provides information for the local community, but also has social value as a means for self-representation of the Chinese community in New Zealand and better adaptation to the mainstream society. On the other hand, the funding shortage as well as the tough competition became the obstacles for the future development for the local Chinese media. The results of this research may point to what the government’s role should be.

Dans le contexte de la génération synthétique et le décodage d'informations linguistiques, non seulement le composant auditif mais aussi le composant visuel de la parole transmettent de l'information précieuse. Nous étudions le regard en tant qu´élément crucial pour enrichir la parole et fournir des informations supplémentaires. Le regard est un geste déictique très important, ainsi il influence de manières variées l'organisation du dialogue et de l'interaction sociale. Dans une première expérience nous étudions comment le regard d'une tête parlante peut être employé comme geste déictique dans un jeu de recherche et sélection sur un écran d'ordinateur. Nous avons trouvé que ces gestes sont capables de réduire le temps de réaction ainsi que la charge cognitive. Cet effet est accentué quand le geste est de caractère multimodal, utilisant la parole de manière adaptée. Dans une deuxième expérience nous avons étudié le rapport entre le regard d'un sujet cible et les différents éléments d'une interaction dialogique. Nous avons défini différents segments dans l'échange d'information dialogique et avons trouvé qu´ils sont liés aux variations du comportement du regard mesuré. Basé sur ces résultats nous proposons un modèle pour le contrôle du regard d'un agent conversationnel animé dans l'interaction face-à-face.

<p>The dialogical plait in individual vocal education</p><p>Thesis in Music Education by Jannike Huss. Part of the work for the master´s degree. Studies from School of Music, Theatre, and Art, University of Örebro, 2010. Available from Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden. Original in Swedish.</p><p>This thesis treats the value of communication for individual vocal education on a higher level. The purpose is to examine and illuminate what is happening in the interaction between teacher and student in individual vocal education, and how it in turn can affect learning. To get deeper knowledge and understanding of the subject, observations of singing lessons and openhearted interviews have been conducted with one teacher and two of her students. During the discussions the participants gave their own views on how an effective communication can occur in the interaction between teacher and student. In this study, only individual lessons in singing on tertiary music education have been studied. The students participating in the study are both prospective teachers with a major in vocals, and it turned out that they already were obvious carriers of two different roles, namely their student role and also their future occupational role. Due to this fact they could experience the interaction from both sides. The interviews with both students were directly connected to their lessons, and after the lessons the teacher was interviewed. All the interviews took shape as open conversations, and have since been transformed into a coherent narrative with a narrative approach in order to create meaning and context (Kvale, 2008; Georgii-Hemming, 2005). Data from the empirical material has been processed, and recounted to a theoretical conceptual framework (von Wright, 2003; Buber, 2004).</p><p>Keywords:</p><p>Vocal education, dialogue, interaction face-to-face, intersubjectivity, relationship, teacher training.</p>

Problem: Hög personalomsättning är en realitet i många branscher, vilket gör att företag står för utmaningen att framgångsrikt bevara kunskapen inom företaget när de anställda väljer att lämna. Eftersom att kunskapen i ett företag är starkt relaterad till företagets konkurrenskraft är det av stor vikt att ta till vara på och sprida kunskapen som har utvecklats och som existerar hos de anställda. Tyst personlig kunskap är svår att kodifiera, och på så sätt svår att bevara. Syfte: Denna uppsats syftar till att inom ämnet Knowledge Management undersöka hur kunskap överförs via face-to-face processer. Studien ämnar examinera frågan hur tyst kunskap överförs och bevaras i ett kunskapsintensivt företag, och då vilken roll interaktionen mellan individer spelar i kunskapsöverföringsprocessen. Metod: Denna studie antar en kvalitativ ansats, med karaktären av både deskriptiv och explorativ studie. Data har primärt samlats in genom intervjuer på två olika företag inom revisionsbranschen. Slutsatser: Face-to-face processer såsom teamarbete, nätverk och sociala aktiviteter används på de kunskapsintensiva företagen som metoder för överföring av tyst kunskap, flera av dessa processer är dock inte vedertagna kunskapsöverföringsprocesser för medarbetare. Anställda ser sina kollegor som den främsta källan till kunskap på arbetsplatsen, vilket kan förklaras med att det personliga mötet inkorporerar just den tysta dimensionen av kunskap. Företag kan i större utsträckning tydliggöra för sina anställda vilken betydelse social interaktion har för överföring och bevaring av tyst kunskap inom företaget.

This thesis examines the role of face-to-face interactions on individual choice. In particular, I explore the effect of face-to-face requests (compared to other forms of requests) on compliance. I propose that individuals expect facial feedback from their interactive partner in response to their decisions and behaviors in face-to-face interactions. In an effort to avoid anticipated negative feedback, people comply with the request. Drawing from literature on compliance, the face, face-to-face interactions, empathy, and anticipation, I develop and test this proposed theoretical account in five experiments. 1) Experiment 1 demonstrates the effect of face-to-face interactions on compliance with requests relative to other forms of making the requests and rules out some alternative explanations. 2) Experiment 2 replicates the effect in a real world setting, and shows that the effect can be moderated by sensitizing individuals to the face. 3) Experiment 3 shows that the effect can be moderated by facial expressiveness and sensitivity to face. Experiment 3 also shows that anticipation of feedback (rather than actual feedback) drives the effect. 4) Experiment 4 shows that the effect can be moderated by the expressiveness, timeliness, and consistency of facial feedback. It provides further evidence for the role of anticipated facial feedback. 5) Experiment 5 shows that individuals strategically choose different modes of interaction (i.e., face-to-face or impersonal) as a function of the feedback they expect to receive. Theoretically, this thesis provides a new understanding of how face-to-face interactions and facial expressiveness impact individual choice. In contrast to previous research, I examine the feedback mechanism that such interactions create, and the role of facial expressiveness. By providing an account in which the anticipation of feedback plays a role, this research provides a way of extending the effect of face-to-face interactions on individual compliance to faceless transactions. Moreover, I identify and test the effect of three dimensions of facial expressiveness on individual choice, thereby adding to marketing literature, compliance literature, and communication literature. The current research has managerial implications in personal selling, customer service, employee training, and online transactions.