This dissertation research investigated the role of online discussion in students’ experience in an academic writing class. As an intervention study, I implemented 20-minute-long online discussions at the end of every class period over a semester as part of required class activities and measured students’ subsequent timed writings and their first and final essays to trace some possible influence from online discussion to their writing development. Topics for online discussions were organized according to course objectives and the day’s lesson, with students developing subtopics reflecting their own interest according to the evolution of each discussion. These topics included theoretical concepts on academic writing as well as orthographical, lexical, grammar, and discourse-related inquiries. Participants included 10 treatment and 12 control students registered in two sections of a rhetoric and composition course designated for non-native English speaking students at a private university. This course was not an ESL class, but was part of the regular composition course offerings, except that it was restricted to international students specifically. Data sources included the treatment group’s 26 online discussion transcripts, 12 sets of timed writings, individual interviews, field notes, two types of essays, and surveys. The control group contributed essays, one set of timed writing taken in the middle of the semester, survey responses, five class recordings, and an instructor interview. Data analysis was performed by using a mixed method approach. Results from online discussion transcripts revealed that treatment students made use of online discussions for their learning, shown through types and characteristics of language-, content-, and writing-related episodes and the semester-long changes and pattern in such talk. Interviews and survey data showed students’ positive learning experiences and changes in their perception toward computer-mediated learning experiences over the semester. In terms of students’ writing, the treatment group made significant improvement in their timed writings over the semester and also outperformed the control group in essay writing significantly, in five of seven categories on a writing rubric. The most significant finding from this study was the improvement of treatment students’ writing scores over the semester. This study suggests the possible value of incorporating computer-mediated instruction in writing instruction as well as future research ideas that bridge research on traditional L2 writing and technology-enriched language learning. / text

The purpose of this study was to explore how the pleasure and participation sports model as described by Coakley (2009) was reflected through an Advanced Physical Education course. This included an analysis examining whether the model was supported, expanded, or refuted based on characteristics of the model emphasizing (a) democratic leadership, (b) inclusive participation, and (c) the use of cooperation and competition with others to develop and test skills in a healthy and enjoyable context. A single-site, exploratory, qualitative case study design provided the opportunity to investigate the phenomenon under exploration. A particular Advanced Physical Education course was purposefully selected as the bounded case for the study. Fifteen students and one teacher agreed to participate. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews (audio taped), observations, and documents provided data sources for information collected between August 2010 and April 2011. Data analysis procedures included a constant comparative method in which conceptually congruent categories were constructed to develop multiple iterations of analysis. Themes that developed based on the data suggested that students experienced a sense of enjoyment, empowerment, and connection resulting from their involvement in the class. From an interactionist perspective, as students found themselves interacting with one another in sports such as archery and kayaking, they were able to prescribe meanings that were often very different than their experiences in traditional sports. Conclusions from the study indicated that the course did reflect the pleasure and participation model. This study suggests that if students interpret their experiences in physical education and sports as positive, then they are more likely to participate. Utilizing Coakley’s model is significant because it provides a framework for considering sports from a broader perspective reflecting the diverse youth population. As a result, the research is beneficial in considering how current opportunities in sport and physical education can be expanded to offer all youth an opportunity to participate and experience sociopositive outcomes. This is also noteworthy since research has indicated the importance of physical activity and that in terms of health, the best physical activities consist of ones which are non-competitive and rhythmic (Chenoweth & Leutzinger, 2006; Curry, Arriagada, & Cornwell, 2002).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sandra Regina Leme Forster.pdf: 14992538 bytes, checksum: 2360f28c33cee2356493723f45f981f6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-03 / The aim of this study is to present the material developed to the contents of Limit a Continuity of Functions of a Real Variable (Limite e Continuidade de Funções de uma Variável Real); demonstrate the analysis of the production of the applicable methodologies for the subject Differential and Integral Calculus II (Cálculo Diferencial e Integral II), one of the units required by the undergraduate academic degree in Bachelor of Mathematics, a program developed in a distance learning basis held by a university in São Paulo; as well as present suggestions to improve the course mentioned above. The theoretical base built in this paper was founded in two theories: the Semiotic Representation Registers Theory, by Raymond Duval, used in researches related to knowledge acquisition and organizing learning situations, and the Interactionist Theory, which is rooted in the studies of Piaget and Vygotsky, authors that forego the distance learning programs. This theory has been interpreted and rewritten by authors that work with distance learning programs and state that interaction promotes learning in any educational environment. This study also exposes what the researcher understands by distance learning and the media used in this kind of learning program. This paper consists of a methodology research based in design where quantitative and qualitative analyses were used, especially, the triangular analysis of data collected through observations of several natures. The results obtained through this research show that: the material and the methodologies applied to the course were well accepted, however, the students prefer the printed material. The students that frequently interacted during the course had better learning results. The development of activities with different types of semiotic representation registers provoke questioning, aid the learning of mathematics concepts and allow to observe if the concept was acquired by the student. The material developed to Continuity teaching was not sufficient to promote learning and must be reorganized / Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar o material elaborado para os conteúdos de Limite e Continuidade de Funções de uma Variável Real; demonstrar a análise da produção e das metodologias aplicadas na disciplina de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral II do curso de Licenciatura Plena em Matemática na modalidade à distância de uma universidade em São Paulo; como também apresentar sugestões para o aperfeiçoamento do curso em questão. A fundamentação teórica presente neste estudo foi construída a partir de duas teorias: a Teoria dos Registros de Representações Semióticas, de Raymond Duval, utilizada em pesquisas referentes à aquisição de conhecimento e à organização de situações de aprendizagem, e a Teoria Interacionista, que possui raízes nos estudos de Piaget e Vygotsky, autores que antecedem a Educação a Distância. Essa teoria foi interpretada e reescrita por autores que vivenciam a modalidade de ensino a distância e afirmam que a interação promove a aprendizagem em qualquer ambiente educacional. Além dessas teorias, este trabalho expõe o que se entende por Educação a Distância e as mídias utilizadas nessa modalidade de ensino. Este estudo trata-se de uma pesquisa de metodologia de design em que se faz o uso das análises quantitativas, qualitativas e, principalmente, da triangulação dos dados coletados em observações de diversas naturezas. Os resultados obtidos por meio desta pesquisa apontam que: o material e as metodologias aplicadas ao curso foram bem aceitos, porém há preferência por materiais da mídia impressa. Os alunos que interagiram com freqüência durante o curso obtiveram melhores resultados na aprendizagem. As atividades com diferentes tipos de registros de representações semióticas provocam questionamentos, favorecem a aprendizagem dos conceitos matemáticos e permitem observar se o conceito foi adquirido pelo aluno. O material elaborado para o ensino de Continuidade não foi suficiente para promover a aprendizagem e deve ser reorganizado

[pt] O objetivo geral do presente estudo é sustentar que a consideração da literatura existente sobre julgamento e tomada de decisão (JTD), oriunda da psicologia e das ciências cognitivas, (i) não apenas confirma a direção acertada de nosso modelo constitucional de processo democrático pautado em um contraditório substancial, como também (ii) demonstra-se imprescindível ao seu aprimoramento. De início, apresentam-se os contornos teóricos daquilo que se entende por processo judicial democrático, focando-se no desenvolvimento dos principais (e novos) aspectos relacionados ao princípio do contraditório - garantidor do fluxo discursivo que permite a construção conjunta (comparticipada e policêntrica) da decisão. Passado o referido ponto, o estudo converge para o terreno da psicologia e das ciências cognitivas. Parte-se das mais conhecidas pesquisas sobre as limitações do raciocínio humano. Posteriormente, introduz-se a provocativa (e recente) teoria sobre o entendimento humano, formulada por Dan Sperber e Hugo Mercier (teoria interacionista do raciocínio). Ao final, concluise que tais estudos e experimentos - intimamente ligados à cognição individual e aos aspectos da deliberação coletiva – nos permitem lançar um novo olhar sobre diversas questões atinentes à (efetiva) adoção de um modelo de processual democrático. / [en] The general purpose of this study is to sustein that the consideration of the existing literature on judgment and decision making, from psychology and cognitive sciences, (i) not only endorses our constitutional model of democratic process, based on a substantial adversarial mechanism, while also (ii) proves to be essential to its improvement. At first, the theoretical contours of what should be understood by a democratic judicial process are presented, focusing on the development of the main (and new) aspects related to the adversarial principle - guarantor of the discursive flow that allows the joint construction (co-participated and polycentric) of the decision. Thereafter, the study steps into psychology and cognitive sciences domain. It is starts with the most acknowledged researches in about the limitations of the human reasoning. Later on, Dan Sperber and Hugo Mercier s recent provocative theory of human understanding is introduced (the interactionist theory of reasoning). Finally, it is concluded that such studies and experiments - intimately connected to individual cognition and the aspects of collective deliberation - allow us to acquire a new perspective over several of pertaining topics related to the (effective) adoption of a democratic procedural model.