This study empirically investigated the impact of an online learning community project on university students' motivation in learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). A newly-proposed L2 motivation theory - the L2 motivational self system (Dörnyei 2005; 2009) - was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The three aspects of motivation (ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience), as described in this theory, were measured before and after the online project. Specific motivating and demotivating features of the online project were generated from participants' responses. Four individuals with different heritage and technology backgrounds were selected as cases to provide information about their perception of this online project and the possible impact of this project on their motivation. A concurrent transformative mixed method design was employed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A pre- and post-test survey and semi-structured interviews served as the main instruments for data collection. Paired t-tests were conducted to identify differences in the participants' pre- and post- scores for the three aspects of motivation. Constant comparative method and double coding method were used to generate the major themes about the motivating and demotivating features of the online project. A narrative analysis approach was taken to explore how individuals with different backgrounds perceived their experience in this online project and the possible impact of the project on their motivation. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in L2 learning experience before and after the online project, while there was no significant difference in the other two aspects of motivation (ideal L2 self and ought-to L2 self). This finding provided empirical evidence about the different natures of the three motivational aspects. That is, ideal L2 self and ought-to L2 self were built up over a long period of time and thus relatively stable, while L2 learning experience was more dynamic and fluid and had a tendency to change even within a relatively short period of time. Regarding the motivating and demotivating features, the results suggested that the most motivating features of this online project were the access to alternative learning resources and tools and opportunities to connect to a larger community of Chinese learners, while the demotivating features were mostly related to the technology barrier and the time and effort it took to complete this project. Furthermore, findings from the interviews with the selected individuals implied that regardless of their different heritage and technology backgrounds, most of them had a positive experience of this online project. However, the impact of this project on their motivation was limited.

Clinical learning experiences form an integral part of the student nurse's training, for it is in the clinical setting that students acquire the knowledge, skills and values necessary for professional practice. The purpose of this research was to explore student nurses experiences during clinical practice. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was utilised, employing the phenomenological method. Unstructured interviews were conducted with student nurses in their final year of the four year nursing programme at a nursing college campus in the Limpopo Province. Tesch's method of data analysis was used. The findings indicate that there are aspects which impact negatively on student nurses' clinical learning experiences, such as lack of teaching and learning support, lack of opportunities for learning, poor theory-practice integration, and poor interpersonal relationships between the students, college tutors and ward staff. Recommendations to enhance the clinical learning experiences of student nurses were made. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

A quantative descriptive study was used to describe the factors that influence the output in the four (4) year nurse training programme. Data was collected by using a self administered questionnaire to 73 participants sampled by stratified random sampling in the Southern Campus of Free State School of Nursing in the Free State Province. Data was analysed by using SPSS computer version 15. The findings of this study revealed that there were difficult subjects like Fundamental Nursing Science, General Nursing Science, Basic Nursing Science, Psychiatric Nursing Science and Midwifery. These were identified per year level of study. The study revealed that difficulty experienced by students resulted in them failing the indicated subjects. Recommendations were made as to how to address the identified factors especially those regarding subjects that were failed in each level, different teaching strategies that could be used to improve the throughput. / M. A. (Health Studies) / Health Studies

This thesis deals with manners of interaction of teachers with children in kindergartens and focuses mainly on solving problematic situations. We are examining question on how to strengthen resilience of children and what ways of interactions with teachers contribute to this process. To find recommendations for interactions with preschool children, we are looking at needs and characteristics of preschool children and comparing various models of resilience in the theoretical part of the work. The theories of Bandura and Seligman form a basis for our approach, but we also contrast them with other sources. At the same time, we are looking at results of international studies describing nature of interactions in their preschool institutions. In the empirical part, we look at the question, which interactions teacher-child occur with highest frequency when solving a problematic situation and if these interactions from teacher to child can be considered as supportive for strengthening resilience of the child. Our research is based on the analysis of 242 events recorded in preschool institutions in Prague. We compare our results with German study of König (2006), from which we have adapted part of the coding scheme. Keywords: resilience, self-efficacy, mediated learning experience, children (preschool...

The thesis Experience in teaching Czech language at lower-secondary school is focused on the implementation of experiential learning into the Czech language teaching. The thesis consists of two parts. The theoretical part describes the main principles and methods of experiential learning and their use in the context of the Czech language teaching. The practical part presents actual lesson plans, in which principles and methods are used. The lesson plans are focused on teaching communication and acquiring active knowledge of Czech syntax, lexicology and semantics. Based on the experience of implementing of activities in teaching Czech language at the 6th grade of lower-secondary school, the author of the thesis explains importance of the experience in Czech language teaching. The results show the experience could be used effectively in the Czech teaching methodology.

本文旨在以學習者定位的角度切入，探討小留學生在求學各階段會遭遇到的優勢與挑戰。研究對象為兩位曾經於童年時期在加拿大求學的台灣小留學生，研究方法主要包含研究對象所撰寫之英語學習歷程、口述英語學習歷程與半結構式訪談，目的在於了解研究對象在人生各階段的經歷、自我定位與他者定位，透過「整體 — 內容」分析法，研究結果顯示小留學生在回到母國之後，經常受到他者的正向定位，因而獲得許多優勢，如獲得許多師長、同儕的讚揚、較多參與英語相關活動機會、英語課上獲得老師特別給予的自由、以及在面對大學與研究所課業上相對較少的負擔。而這些小留學生享有的特權也與台灣「英語瘋」的現象息息相關。不過這些小留學生也面臨許多挑戰，如在出國初期遭遇許多語言障礙產生的挫折、回台灣後相當不適應以考試為導向的教學、人際關係上遭遇挫折與國文科目的挑戰。同時交叉分析個案後，顯示出家長在確保小留學生未來學習順利與否，扮演相當關鍵的角色。最後於文末提出給予老師、家長與小留學生的建議，以及未來研究建議方向。 / This study aims to reveal the advantages and challenges that early study abroad students face through exploring the positioning of two Taiwanese students who studied abroad at a young age at different stages of their lives. The study adopts a qualitative research method with written narratives, oral narratives and semi-structured interviews as data and the data collected is analyzed using a holistic-content approach. The research findings indicate that the two early study abroad students positioned themselves and were positioned positively after they returned to their own country and enjoyed various privileges, such as peers’ admiration and teacher’s encouragement for their superior English skills, ample opportunities to participate in many English-related activities in school, freedom granted by teachers in English classes, and less schoolwork burden in university or graduate school. Nevertheless, the participants also face unique challenges. Both of the participants suffer from great frustration at the beginning of their study abroad experiences and were not used to the test-oriented English education after returning to Taiwan. In Jessica’s case, difficulties in learning the Chinese subject and troubled interpersonal relationships also existed. The findings also reveal the importance of parents’ role in facilitating these early study abroad students’ sustained English development. Suggestions for teachers, parents, early study abroad students and implications for future research are provided at the end of the thesis.

Consisting of both theoretical and empirical inquires, this study examines the primary functions of narrative and the relationship between narrative and mental imagery. The study proposes a new framework to interpret semiotic resources. Combining this with the linguistic functional theory of Halliday (1978), a functional method to empirically investigate semiotic representations was also developed. In the empirical inquiry, the study developed a latent construct method to empirically test the effects of narrative in a real learning situation. This study is the first to investigate the functional relationship between narrative and mental imagery, and among the first to suggest a theory and empirically investigate representations of a multimodal nature. The study is also among the first to use latent constructs to investigate the learning experience in a real educational setting. Data were collected from 190 library professionals who enrolled in three sections (two in narrative and one in plain text) of an online course administered through Vista 4.0 and who completed the course and responded to several instruments. Essay data (n = 82 x 2) were analyzed using content analysis based on the narrative analysis framework developed. Quantitative data analysis methods include univariate data analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling that tests the proposed model and verifies the relationships between the latent variables. Overall, the findings support the hypotheses about the functional effects of narrative identified, and narrative is found to provide a favorable and positive learning context which is tested by the proposed model of learning experience measured by several latent constructs (X2 = 31.67, df = 47, p = .9577, RMSEA = .00, SRMR = .047, NNFI = 1.05, CFI = 1.00, and GFI = .94). The results indicate that participants who enrolled in the narrative sections of the course gained higher creative scores and showed better results in performance-based and attribution-based experiences. The model testing results indicate that even though more time spent during learning led to better outcome and performance in both groups, more time spent means more satisfaction for the individuals in the narrative group, but led to less satisfaction for the individuals in the non-narrative group.

Mit der Digitalisierung im Bildungsbereich sind Hochschulen aufgefordert, neue und mit digitalen Technologien angereicherte Lehr- und Lernformate bereitzustellen. Die sächsischen Hochschulen können dafür auf eine flächendeckende, technologische Infrastruktur [u. a. das Lernmanagementsystem (LMS) OPAL] zurückgreifen. Im Lehralltag zeigen sich jedoch fach- und hochschulübergreifend ähnliche Phänomene: Die digitalen Infrastrukturen werden vorwiegend für administrative Zwecke (bspw. für Kurseinschreibung oder Materialbereitstellung) und nur in geringem Maße zur innovativen Gestaltung von Lehr-Lern-Arrangements genutzt. Dabei bietet die vorhandene Infrastruktur reichlich Potenzial für motivational anspruchsvolle, digitale Lehr-Lern-Arrangements in allen Fachgebieten. Mit der Steigerung der Learning Experience, also der Lernerfahrung, sollen positive Emotionen geweckt und für den Lernprozess genutzt werden. Lernen soll Freude machen. Mit dem Projekt LOS (Learning Experience in OPAL mit Spielelementen) wird ein frei zugängliches Transfer- und Weiterbildungsangebot aufgebaut, mit dem Lehrende für die Steigerung der Learning Experience ihrer Lernangebote durch den Einsatz von Spielelementen sensibilisiert und qualifiziert werden. Damit soll langfristig die Attraktivität und der Nutzungsgrad der sächsischen Lernplattform aus Sicht aller akademischen Stakeholder gesteigert werden. Der Beitrag stellt Zielstellungen und Maßnahmen des Projektes LOS vor und skizziert zunächst allgemein das Konzept der Gamification sowie dessen pädagogischen Potenziale für die Hochschullehre. [... aus Punkt 1]

This study is dedicated to the investigation of the motivational profiles in university students on campus and on distance. Having said that, the present study aims to investigate the following aspects related to these groups of students: a) their motivational profile; and b) if they differ in the motivational profile according to the type of study in which they are inserted (campus ordistance).  A survey has been carried out on campus on university students as well ason distance students, these students were surveyed through a questionnaire based on, in part, on the theory of the motivational self-system in L2 created by the psycholinguist Zoltán Dörnyei in 2009. Due to the limitations of the study and of the members the groups, this study doesn’t intend to generalize, moreover, this study was carried out with the materials and resources available, to date.  This study will try to demonstrate the different aspects of the motivational system in L2 in the two different groups and in their modalities.

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