Online education is popular from a consumer perspective, but there are elements of face-to-face instruction and assessment that are difficult to reproduce online (Bassoppo-Moyo 2006). The difficulty of reproducing valued elements of a face-to-face setting leads to concerns regarding the overall quality of the online learning experience. Videoconferencing is one technology that has been used to incorporate elements of a face-to-face environment. However, videoconferencing over the Internet is fraught with technical difficulties and live discussions remove one of the main benefits of distance education: time flexibility. A more recent development has been to use asynchronous video as a communications method in online courses. Griffiths and Graham (2009) described several pilots using asynchronous video in online courses at Brigham Young University. Asynchronous video conveys the verbal and nonverbal signals necessary for immediacy and social presence and retains the time flexibility benefit of distance education. Following the pilot studies, a prototype design theory titled the Asynchronous Video Learning Model (AVLM) was created for the use of asynchronous video in online courses. A study was designed to study a practical implementation of AVLM. The major purpose of the study was to observe and analyze the practical experiences of participants and improve the AVLM model. A class named IPT286 (Using Instructional Technology in Teaching) taught by the department of IP&T at BYU was redesigned to be an online class using AVLM. Data were gathered during the semester and then analyzed according to the methods described in this study. Results showed that many of the principles of the AVLM model were successfully implemented and led to positive experiences. Some elements of the model were not adequately implemented which led to some negative experiences. In addition, experiences led to new elements being added to the model. The study also revealed some interesting principles related to general learning theory. The data consistently revealed the importance of relationships in the learning process. Relationships between students and the instructor were shown to influence the student learning experience, and therefore the personality and style of the instructor impacted overall student learning to some degree.

The development of a multi-objective decision making and learning model for the use in unmanned systems is the focus of this project. Starting with traditional game theory and psychological learning theories developed in the past, a new model for machine learning is developed. This model incorporates a no-regret decision making model with a Bayesian learning process which has the ability to adapt to errors found in preconceived costs associated with each objective. This learning ability is what sets this model apart from many others. By creating a model based on previously developed human learning models, hundreds of years of experience in these fields can be applied to the recently developing field of machine learning. This also allows for operators to more comfortably adapt to the machine's learning process in order to better understand how to take advantage of its features. One of the main purposes of this system is to incorporate multiple objectives into a decision making process. This feature can better allow its users to clearly define objectives and prioritize these objectives allowing the system to calculate the best approach for completing the mission. For instance, if an operator is given objectives such as obstacle avoidance, safety, and limiting resource usage, the operator would traditionally be required to decide how to meet all of these objectives. The use of a multi-objective decision making process such as the one designed in this project, allows the operator to input the objectives and their priorities and receive an output of the calculated optimal compromise.

This thesis looks at the development of a physical 3D learning model designed to introduce key stage 3 students to the basics of SolidWorks with the ultimate aim of developing the model to a level where schools can use it in the education of students. The purpose of this thesis is to identify any problems with the author’s final year undergraduate project (a three-dimensional card model of Tower Bridge, which features instructions to help teach the fundamentals of SolidWorks), and to create a new learning material based on those findings. The creation of the new learning material was in part based on feedback during visits to local secondary schools. Small scale user trials were also conducted throughout the product development in order to gain first-hand insight into how the solution was meeting its objectives, i.e. being a viable learning pack for Secondary Schools. The overall project aim was to create 3 – Dimensional teaching material designed to assist in classrooms for secondary education. This aim was partially realised in that a clear and concise learning path was created. However, due to lack of engagement from local secondary schools it was not feasible to conduct user trials. These trials and subsequent review have been suggested as possible future work. It should be noted that apart from the Tower Bridge product, reviewed in chapter 3, all work presented within this thesis was conducted as part of this master study.

No description available.

Cette étude acoustico-perceptive concerne les limites de la perception et de la production des voyelles orales du français [i, e, ɛ, a, u, o, ɔ, y, ø, œ], en isolation et en contextes consonantiques divers, chez dix tchécophones, futures enseignantes de Français Langue Étrangère (FLE). Les résultats montrent que (1) La maîtrise phonétique des voyelles dépend de leurs graphies et de l’entourage consonantique. (2) Les voyelles fermées [i, y, u] et le [a] sont globalement maîtrisées avec authenticité. (3) Les capacités de perception des contrastes entre les voyelles moyennes e/ɛ, ø/œ et o/ɔ ainsi que leur production sont limitées. Ces résultats ne sont que partiellement en accord avec les prédictions établies à partir du Speech Learning Model (SLM) de Flege (1995), basé sur la notion de similarité phonétique qui existe entre la langue maternelle (LM) et la langue étrangère (LE). / This acoustic-perceptual study concerns the limits of perception and production of French oral vowels [i, e, ɛ, a, u, o, ɔ, y, ø, œ], in isolation and in different consonantal contexts, in ten pre-service Czech teachers of French as a Foreign Language (FFL). The results show that (1) Phonetic proficiency in vowels depends on their spellings and consonantal context. (2) Vowels [i, y, u] and [a] are generally mastered with authenticity. (3) The ability to hear contrasts between the vowels e/ɛ, ø/œ and o/ɔ and pronounce them is limited. These results are only partially consistent with the predictions established in the Speech Learning Model (SLM) by Flege (1995), based on the notion of phonetic similarity between the mother tongue (MT) and the foreign language (FL).

Cette étude acoustico-perceptive concerne les limites de la perception et de la production des voyelles orales du français [i, e, ɛ, a, u, o, ɔ, y, ø, œ], en isolation et en contextes consonantiques divers, chez dix tchécophones, futures enseignantes de Français Langue Étrangère (FLE). Les résultats montrent que (1) La maîtrise phonétique des voyelles dépend de leurs graphies et de l’entourage consonantique. (2) Les voyelles fermées [i, y, u] et le [a] sont globalement maîtrisées avec authenticité. (3) Les capacités de perception des contrastes entre les voyelles moyennes e/ɛ, ø/œ et o/ɔ ainsi que leur production sont limitées. Ces résultats ne sont que partiellement en accord avec les prédictions établies à partir du Speech Learning Model (SLM) de Flege (1995), basé sur la notion de similarité phonétique qui existe entre la langue maternelle (LM) et la langue étrangère (LE). / This acoustic-perceptual study concerns the limits of perception and production of French oral vowels [i, e, ɛ, a, u, o, ɔ, y, ø, œ], in isolation and in different consonantal contexts, in ten pre-service Czech teachers of French as a Foreign Language (FFL). The results show that (1) Phonetic proficiency in vowels depends on their spellings and consonantal context. (2) Vowels [i, y, u] and [a] are generally mastered with authenticity. (3) The ability to hear contrasts between the vowels e/ɛ, ø/œ and o/ɔ and pronounce them is limited. These results are only partially consistent with the predictions established in the Speech Learning Model (SLM) by Flege (1995), based on the notion of phonetic similarity between the mother tongue (MT) and the foreign language (FL).

Adaptive video streaming is perpetually influenced by unpredictable network conditions, whichcauses playback interruptions like stalling, rebuffering and video bit rate fluctuations. Thisleads to potential degradation of end-user Quality of Experience (QoE) and may make userchurn from the service. Video QoE modelling that precisely predicts the end users QoE underthese unstable conditions is taken into consideration quickly. The root cause analysis for thesedegradations is required for the service provider. These sudden changes in trend are not visiblefrom monitoring the data from the underlying network service. Thus, this is challenging toknow this change and model the instantaneous QoE. For this modelling continuous time, QoEratings are taken into consideration rather than the overall end QoE rating per video. To reducethe user risk of churning the network providers should give the best quality to the users. In this thesis, we proposed the QoE modelling to analyze the user reactions change over timeusing machine learning models. The machine learning models are used to predict the QoEratings and change patterns in ratings. We test the model on video Quality dataset availablepublicly which contains the user subjective QoE ratings for the network distortions. M5P modeltree algorithm is used for the prediction of user ratings over time. M5P model gives themathematical equations and leads to more insights by given equations. Results of the algorithmshow that model tree is a good approach for the prediction of the continuous QoE and to detectchange points of ratings. It is shown that to which extent these algorithms are used to estimatechanges. The analysis of model provides valuable insights by analyzing exponential transitionsbetween different level of predicted ratings. The outcome provided by the analysis explains theuser behavior when the quality decreases the user ratings decrease faster than the increase inquality with time. The earlier work on the exponential transitions of instantaneous QoE overtime is supported by the model tree to the user reaction to sudden changes such as video freezes.

A new, biologically plausible model of task-set learning that reproduces effects from both rule-learning experiments and task-switching experiments.<br>

Cette recherche définit la personnalisation comme une approche centrée sur l'apprenant où la personne est prise dans son ensemble (émotions, cognition et socialisation). L’apprenant est actif, prend des initiatives et collabore avec les autres. Elle détaille les attributs de l'apprentissage personnalisé, ses perspectives et ses théories et propose un modèle personnalisé testé via le développement d’une application mobile pour les cours de base en informatique pour les étudiants en première année universitaire. Les résultats portent principalement sur l'impact de la personnalisation sur la performance, l'engagement et l'autonomie des apprenants. Les analyses de données montrent que la performance du groupe personnalisé dans les tests théoriques est significativement meilleure que les groupes suivant un enseignement traditionnel, mais les résultats ne sont pas significatifs pour les tests pratiques. La performance des apprenants dans le groupe personnalisé est indépendante du type d'évaluation choisi (tests théoriques et pratiques, projets individuels ou collaboratifs). Les apprenants ont manifesté une certaine responsabilité et un comportement autonome et ils ont été capables, avec une grille,d’évaluer d’une manière correcte et objective le travail de leurs pairs. L'engagement émotionnel est le type d'engagement le plus élevé et il apparaît indépendant de l’engagement cognitif, comportemental et agentique qui le suivent dans l’ordre respectif. / This research adopts a definition of personalization as a learner centered approach that takes into consideration the person as a whole (emotions, cognition and socialization) and where the learner is active, takes initiatives and collaborates with others. It details attributes of personalized learning, its perspectives and theories behind it. It proposes a personalized model that is tested through designing a mobile app for computer basics courses for first year university students. Results focus mainly on the impact of personalization on learners’ performance, engagement and autonomy. Data analyses showed that the personalized group did significantly better in theoretical tests than groups taught in a traditional way, but results were not significant for practical tests. The performance of learners in the personalized group does not depend on the type of evaluation used (theoretical and practical tests, individual or collaborative projects). Learners manifested autonomous behavior and responsibility and were able with a rubric in hand to conduct a fair and objective judgement of peers’ work. The emotional engagement was the highest type of engagement and was independent of the cognitive, behavioral and agentic one that come next respectively.

Thesis (Ph.D. Education (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The introduction of technologies in our lifetime necessitates transformation in our lifestyles. This expectation is not an exception to the education system. The curriculum and the ways of teaching and learning are affected the most by new technologies. It is therefore imperative that schools, educational officials and teachers change in tandem with these new technologies. The transitioning to technologies, therefore, tends to make it obligatory for schools, principals, deputy principals, heads of departments and teachers to be competent in these new innovations and the accompanying digital strategies. The aim of this study is to investigate the implementation of blended learning as one of the technological platforms in Sekhukhune District schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study was guided by blending Connected Learning Theory (CLT), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Connectivism Theory (CT) frameworks. The theories assisted in the formulation of research questions which led to the study findings. The research questions of the study included How do teachers perceive the usefulness of blended learning approaches in teaching and learning? How do teachers connect information using technology resources in blended learning? “To what extent do teachers display the necessary skills for successful implementation of blended learning?” What are teachers’ recommendations for the introduction and improvement of blended learning in rural schools? and What are the elements to be considered for the designing of blended learning model? The study used mixed methods research (MMR) to achieve the aim of the study. Convergent parallel design was used to collect, analyse and interpret data. The study was guided by a pragmatic paradigm where 10 schools were purposively sampled for the QUAN strand while 4 schools were purposively sampled for the QUAL strand. The participants of the study comprised x principals, deputy principals and teachers. For the QUAN strand 10 principals, 9 deputy principals, 35 heads of departments and 123 teachers participated while for the AQUAL strand 4 principals, 4 head of departments and 4 teachers took part in the investigation. The total sample for the QUAN was 177 participants and 12 participants for the QUAL strand. A questionnaire was used to collect data in the QUAN strand while for the QUAL strand interviews and document study were used. Data gathered through questionnaires was analysed through the IBM SPSS version 28. Thematic, content and narrative analyses were used to assess data collected from the interviews and document study. The results of the two strands were merged to obtain the final results of the study. The study established that teachers embraced the introduction and implementation of blended learning in schools. However, challenges such as lack of e-technological supply and internet connection; inadequacies in the use of classroom technologies; lack of e-tech policies; lack of teachers’ digital training; insufficient teachers′ technological competencies; and inadequate teacher support in technologies impede the effective implementation of blended learning in Sekhukhune-Limpopo schools. The study therefore recommends that the Limpopo Department of Education (LDE) should prioritise the supply of e-tech in Sekhukhune-Limpopo through fiscal policies. The study further recommends that the Department of Basic Education, through the provincial education departments and districts, train and develop officials and teachers in digital technologies for the successful implementation of blended technologies in teaching and learning. The study also suggested a proposed Blended Learning Model (BLM) which might assist in the implementation of blended learning in schools. Keywords: blended learning, blended learning model, E-Tech, EEducation policy, teachers’ digital framework