Within the past decade little research has been conducted in the United States to examine the preparedness of beginning speech-language pathologists; the seminal article used for this research study comes from the United Kingdom (Horton, Byng, Bunning, & Pring, 2004). Literature from the past few decades indicates that there may be deficiencies in the way that beginning speech-language pathologists are being trained clinically. The review of the literature suggests that the field may lack a clear and broadly supported learning theory or framework for the clinical supervision and training of speech-language pathology graduate students. The literature further supports the importance of work-embedded learning and problem-based learning, as well as suggests a theoretical framework that may be utilized for supervision and clinical training in the future. The purpose of this exploratory phenomenological study is to understand and describe how speech-language pathology graduate students perceive their clinical training and supervision obtained during graduate school prepared them for their first externship placements. The literature suggests that a framework for the transfer of theoretical knowledge into the clinical setting is often not present in graduate academic programs (Horton & Byng, 2000b). Models of highly effective practices that are grounded in adult learning theory and empirical research regarding clinical training and supervision should be taken into account. In this way, department-level leaders may be able to design more effective models for clinical training and supervision. The data from participant interviews conducted for this study were organized into two over-arching themes: supervision and clinical experiences. The data in each theme were further organized into more specific categories. The theme of supervision includes five categories: a) most helpful supervisor characteristics, b) least helpful supervisor characteristics, c) differences in supervision, d) feedback from supervisors, and e) working with different supervisors. In addition, the theme of clinical experiences includes four categories: a) differences between in-house experiences and externship experiences, b) significant aspects of clinical training, c) limitations of clinical training, and d) limitations of clinical coursework.

Darbe nagrinėjamas informacinių technologijų fenomenas dabarties žinių visuomenėje, interneto technologijas siejant su mokymo(si) procesu. Pateikiama mokymosi proceso samprata technologinio kitimo amžiuje. Aptariamas konstruktyvizmu grindžiamo mokymosi aiškinimas (konstrukcionizmo pedagoginė teorija), atskleidžiami esminiai konektyvizmo principai ir užduotys, su kuriomis turi susidurti besimokantysis skaitmeninio amžiaus eroje. Pristatomi matematikos mokymo filosofijos (matematikos filosofijos) keliami klausimai. Galiausiai ieškoma atsakymų į klausimus: kokį vaidmenį kompiuterinės technologijos, pastarojo meto interneto tecnologijos ir paslaugos atlieka matematikos mokymo bei mokymosi proceso metu, kaip jį paliečia, kokias galimybes atveria, kaip keičia šį procesą. / This theme paper analyses the phenomenon of information technologies in relation with the present knowledge-based society and the Web technologies in the process of education. The concept of learning process is discussed in the age of technological change. The constructivism based learning (constructionism learning theory) is presented in this paper too. Besides this, the most essential principles and tasks of connectivism which a learner is supposed to deal with in the digital surroundings are being analysed as well. Moreover, the issues raised by the phylosophy of mathematics education (and the phylosophy of mathematics) are also introduced in this paper. Finally, the reply search to the following issues – what role do computer-based technologies, modern internet technologies and services play in the process of teaching and learning mathematics; how do the above mentioned factors influence a process of education; what are the perspectives of the mentioned processes; how do the discussed issues change the process of teaching and learning mathematics – is analysed in the paper.

This interpretive research study examines peer leadership in a distributed online MBA community of practice at New States University (NSU pseudonym, based in USA). It explores ways in which faculty members in a global business course, NMBA616 (pseudonym), negotiate relationships, meaning and identity in their efforts to be effective teachers and address their own needs for professional growth and development. The research participants provide insights about community formation and function in a virtual domain where they work together at a distance without meeting face-to-face. The study appears to be a new application of culture code methodology, symbolic interactionism and social learning theory as they conjoin on social, psychological and organizational levels. To my knowledge it is the first study of an MBA virtual community of practice. Research interviews were conducted primarily by distance using web-based technology, teleconferences and email, as well as some face to face discussion. The central questions are: 1) To what extent does a distributed faculty team in an online global business management course constitute a community of practice? 2) What is the nature of faculty relationships in the online global business management course? and 3) What are the leadership issues in a virtual practice setting? Findings reveal that online community practitioners are resourceful in creating peer leadership that is embedded within the group and its relationships. The study is motivated by my personal interests and professional experience, as well as by the quest of online colleagues for ways to assess, support and improve themselves and their practice. Building on personal experience as an online business communications instructor, the thesis presents an example of peer leadership in a virtual global business community of practice and in its completion stands as a case study.

This study is designed to reveal whether students acquire the domains and levels of library skills discussed in a learning library skills theory after participating in an online library instruction tutorial. The acquisition of the library skills is demonstrated through a review of the scores on online tutorial quizzes, responses to a library skills questionnaire, and bibliographies of course research papers. Additional areas to be studied are the characteristics of the participants enrolled in traditional and online courses at a community college and the possible influence of these characteristics on the demonstrated learning of library skills. Multiple measurement methods, identified through assessment of library instruction literature, are used to verify the effectiveness of the library skills theory and to strengthen the validity and reliability of the study results.

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the phenomenon of the conflicting roles, such as parent, spouse, employee, caregiver, and community member/volunteer, associated with the lives of nontraditional college students and to reveal how these conflicting role obligations influence these students' persistence toward the attainment of an undergraduate degree. This study provides a brief history of adult education in the United States as well as the study context, a continuing studies division of a privately endowed research institution located in the southern United States. The participants in this study were nontraditional students who were also recent graduates of this continuing studies unit. This study drew upon the literature of nontraditional students in higher education, as well as literature on role theory, adult development theory, adult learning theory, and student persistence theory. This study used a phenomenological qualitative approach as a means of discovering the lived experiences of nontraditional students as these experiences relate to the conflicting roles of nontraditional students and their decision to persist toward the attainment of a bachelor's degree. Several important findings were discovered. In order to negotiate their conflicting roles, these students used several strategies as a means of helping them to balance their roles. This study also found several motivational factors that prompted nontraditional students to pursue a bachelor's degree at this time in their lives. The obstacles and challenges that these students confronted were also revealed, and in order to overcome these obstacles and challenges these students relied on several support systems. The reputation and prestige of this university was also found to be an important factor in the students' decision to attend college at this stage in their lives. Additionally, the various forms of assistance that this continuing studies unit provided encouraged students to persist.

A Aprendizagem Colaborativa com Suporte Computacional (CSCL) é uma área de pesquisa que investiga como a tecnologia pode ser usada para apoiar a interação e a colaboração nas atividades realizadas em grupo, promovendo a construção do conhecimento individual e coletivo dos seus participantes. Um dos desafios desse campo de pesquisa refere-se à formação de grupos de aprendizagem efetivos. Esses grupos são caracterizados pela sinergia existente entre os seus membros para que os objetivos do trabalho sejam alcançados de forma plena, assegurando a melhoria dos resultados de aprendizagem de cada um dos envolvidos. Apesar das importantes contribuições, pesquisadores da CSCL apontam problemas relacionados à resistência e desmotivação dos estudantes para o trabalho em grupo, que pode ser influenciada por características pessoais dos alunos, como os traços de personalidade. Nesse sentido, este trabalho de doutorado tem como objetivo verificar a influência dos traços de personalidade na formação de grupos baseados em teorias de aprendizagem colaborativa, e criar mecanismos para automatizar e apoiar a formação dos grupos em ambientes CSCL. Para alcançar esse objetivo, três desafios de pesquisa foram estabelecidos. O primeiro se propõe a investigar a influência dos traços de personalidade na efetividade dos grupos (aprendizado, satisfação, motivação) baseados em teorias de aprendizagem colaborativa. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo experimental, com 156 alunos do ensino fundamental II, que confirmou a influência dos traços de personalidade, rigidez mental e emocionalidade, na aprendizagem e motivação de 78 grupos apoiados pela teoria de aprendizagem colaborativa Peer Tutoring. O segundo desafio de pesquisa consiste no desenvolvimento de um modelo formal para relacionar os traços de personalidade às teorias de aprendizagem colaborativa. Dessa forma, foi desenvolvido um método, composto por quatros passos, para modelagem de novos papéis de aprendizagem, denominados de Papéis Colaborativos Afetivos (PCAs). Com base nesses PCAs é possível criar novos cenários de aprendizagem colaborativa e, além disso, estabelecer estratégias de aprendizagem para lidar com as características dos traços de personalidade que podem influenciar negativamente o comportamento dos estudantes. Dois estudos de caso foram conduzidos para avaliar o modelo formal. O primeiro, realizado com 10 alunos na faixa de idade de 13-16 anos, avaliou o impacto da característica de insociabilidade e impulsividade na formação de grupos baseados na teoria de aprendizagem Anchored Instruction. O segundo foi desenvolvido com 15 alunos, na faixa de idade de 09-10 anos, e investigou a influência da característica de alta e baixa impulsividade na formação de grupos baseados na teoria de aprendizagem Distributed Cognition. Os resultados mostraram que este modelo contribui para o design de cenários colaborativos mais efetivos, visto que ele personaliza a formação de grupos ao propor a criação de novos papéis de aprendizagem que consideram os traços de personalidade associados às teorias de aprendizagem. Finalmente, o último desafio de pesquisa refere-se ao desenvolvimento de um algoritmo que utilize os novos PCAs para a criação de grupos. Como resultado, foi implementado o algoritmo G-FusionPT que, baseado em uma amostra simulada de 300 alunos, mostrou ser mais efetivo quando comparado a dois outros algoritmos de formação de grupos. / Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is a research area which investigates how technology can support the interaction and collaboration in group activities, while promoting individual and collective learning. One of the challenges in CSCL is the creation of effective learning groups. A key aspect of these groups is the synergy among their members which enables their objectives to be thoroughly fulfilled, ensuring improvements in the learning results of each participant. Despite of important contributions, CSCL researchers have been pointing out problems related to students resistance and demotivation to work in groups, which can be influenced by their personal characteristics, such as personality traits. In this context, this doctoral investigation aims at verifying the influence of personality traits in group formation based on collaborative learning theories, and creating mechanisms to automate and support group formation in CSCL environments. Three research challenges have been established to achieve this goal. The first proposes to investigate personality traits influence in group effectiveness (learning, satisfaction, motivation) based on collaborative learning theories. Thus, we carried out an experimental study, with 156 elementary students, which confirmed the influence of psychoticism and neuroticism personality traits in the learning and motivation of 78 groups supported by Peer Tutoring collaborative learning theory. The second research challenge is the development of a formal model matching personality traits and collaborative learning theories. Thus, we developed a four steps method to model new learning roles, denominated Affective Collaborative Learning (ACL) roles. Those allowed the creation of new collaborative learning scenarios and the establishment of learning strategies to deal with personality traits characteristics that may negatively influence students behavior. Two case studies were performed to evaluate the formal model. The first study, performed with 10 students aged between 13-16, investigated the impact of unsociable and impulsive characteristics in group formation based on Anchored Instruction collaborative learning theory. The second study, performed with 15 students aged between 09-10, investigated the influence of high and low impulsivity characteristics in group formation based on Distributed Cognition collaborative learning theory. The results showed that this model contributes to the design of effective CSCL scenarios, whereas it personalizes the formation of groups using personality traits and ACL roles. Finally, the last research challenge refers to development of an algorithm employing the new ACL roles to creation of groups. As results, we implemented G-FusionPT algorithm and, based on an artificial sample of 300 simulated students, it proved to be more effective than two previous group formation algorithms.

The aim of this study was to analyze narratives of violence and explore how this relates to one's own violence. By means of the theory of differential associations and social learning theory, the development of violent behavior was understood and interpreted. Through a hermeneutic approach, seven life stories from the Stockholm Life-Course Project, were interpreted, where child maltreatment and own use of violence had occurred. The main results showed that the individuals experienced that the childhood had characterized their lives and that they developed a behavior of violence. The violence has been interpreted for strategic purposes but also of pure instinct. The results were problematized with the previous research. The study's conclusion is that exposure to child maltreatment constitutes a risk factor for developing violent behavior. However, the relationship is complex and no causal statements can be made based on our research method and our sample. / Vårt syfte med denna studie var att med utgångspunkt från narrativ analysmetod analysera berättelser om våldsutsatthet och dess relation till egen våldsutövning. Teorin om differentiella associationer och social inlärningsteori användes för att skapa förståelse för utvecklingen av ett våldsamt beteende. Med ett hermeneutiskt angreppssätt tolkades sju intervjuer från The Stockholm Life-Course Project. Studiens främsta resultat visade att individerna upplevt att barndomen präglat deras liv och att de anammat ett våldsbeteende. När de själva utövat våld beskrivs detta ha utförts strategiskt och målinriktat, men även instinktivt då våldet utförts på ren impuls. Tidigare forskning bidrog till att problematisera resultatet i förhållande till berättelser som strider mot ovanstående narrativ och de teoretiska resonemangen. Studiens slutsats är att utsatthet för våld under barndomen utgör en riskfaktor för att utveckla ett våldsamt beteende. Relationen är dock komplex och inga kausala uttalanden kan göras baserat på vår forskningsmetod och vårt urval.

Os estudos dos processos cognitivos propiciam um cenário promissor para a realização de pesquisas visando uma maior compreensão de como o funcionamento do cérebro pode favorecer a educação, possibilitando o desenvolvimento de novas teorias e abordagens que estimulem a aprendizagem. O presente trabalho abordará principalmente como se dá a aquisição, o armazenamento, processamento e a recuperação do conhecimento do ponto de vista da neurociência e de que forma o mapa conceitual (MC) pode mapear o conhecimento do indivíduo. O MC pode ser utilizado tanto como uma estratégia de aprendizagem para a compreensão de conceitos-chave bem como as relações entre estes quanto para promover o pensamento crítico do indivíduo. É uma representação gráfica bidimensional cuja estrutura permite organizar visualmente as relações entre conceitos que podem ser indicadas por palavras, frases e símbolos. É usado para facilitar o aprendizado ao hierarquizar os conceitos por meio de construções significativas para o indivíduo. Os conceitos aparecem nas caixas e as relações nas linhas que os unem: a dois conceitos conectados chamamos de proposição. Durante a construção de um MC o indivíduo exercita a sua capacidade de estabelecer relações entre o conhecimento que já tem e o adquirido no decorrer da aprendizagem ao representar graficamente os conceitos sobre um determinado assunto. / The study of cognitive processes provide a promising scenario to research aimed at better understanding of how the functioning of the brain may promote the education, enabling the development of new theories and approaches that encourage learning. This work will mainly occurs as the acquisition, storage, processing and retrieval of knowledge from the viewpoint of neuroscience, and how the conceptual map can map the knowledge of the individual. The conceptual map (CM) can be used both as a strategy of learning for the understanding of key concepts and relations between them and to promote critical thinking of the individual. Two-dimensional graphical representation, the CM allows visually organize the relationships between concepts. This structure from the wider concepts up to less comprehensive and relations between them can be indicated by words, phrases and symbols. It is used to facilitate the learning concepts ranking by building significant to the individual. The concepts appear in the boxes and lines that unite them: two concepts connected call proposition. During the construction of a CM, the individual exercises its ability to establish relationships between knowledge that he has already acquired in the course of learning to represent graphically the concepts of a particular subject.

The diploma thesis on topic Development of professional competencies of Primary School teachers considers the research question: "What is the significance of teacher training and its length in the development of the professional competencies of primary school teachers?". The aim of the thesis is to introduce and analyze effective ways of developing the professional competencies of primary school teachers in the combined form of study. Contextualize the importance of practice and its length in the development of professional competencies. To deal with specific cases, ie cases of significance of practice and its length in the development of professional competencies of primary school teachers. With the support of professional literature, the basic theorems related to the topic of work are defined in the theoretical part: teacher, competencies, key competences, pedagogical knowledge and skills, constructivist approach in education and methods of professional development of teachers. Attention is paid to theory, practice and its position in teacher education. Reflection, cooperation and portfolio are mentioned here as effective means of professional development of teachers, ensuring the interconnection of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The practical part is focused on qualitative...

Orientador: Rubens Alves Dias / Resumo: Esta pesquisa aborda aspectos sobre os estilos de aprendizagem e o ambiente de estudo no processo de ensino e aprendizagem entre alunos e professores do curso de engenharia de produção, especificamente da disciplina estatística, de quatro instituições universitárias brasileiras. A presente pesquisa objetivou mensurar em quais aspectos se diferem as percepções entre alunos e professores referente ao ambiente de estudo e auxiliar os professores de engenharia no desenvolvimento desse ambiente e principalmente no processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Em sua metodologia, utilizou-se três questionários sendo eles: o questionário denominado Índice de Estilos de Aprendizagem (ILS) e dois questionários denominado Inventário sobre a Percepção do Ambiente de Estudo nas versões IPSE e o IPSE-T. Para verificar a confiabilidade dos questionários, calculou-se o coeficiente alfa de Cronbach, bem como o valor de p da análise de variância (ANOVA) para comparar as médias amostrais dos diferentes grupos. Identificados os perfis dos alunos por meio do ILS, as percepções dos alunos e professores sobre o ambiente de estudo, respectivamente por meio do IPSE e IPSE-T, a pesquisa resulta na aplicação das diretrizes teóricas baseadas em Vygotsky direcionadas ao perfil desses alunos e ao desenvolvimento do ambiente de estudo para o processo de ensino e aprendizagem. / Abstract: This research deals with aspects about learning styles and the study environment in the teaching and learning process between students and teachers of the production engineering course, specifically the statistical discipline, of four Brazilian university institutions. The present research aimed to measure in which aspects the perceptions between students and teachers regarding the study environment differ and help the teachers of engineering in the development of this environment and especially in the process of teaching and learning. In their methodology, three questionnaires were used: the questionnaire called the Learning Styles Index (ILS) and two questionnaires called the Inventory on Perception of the Study Environment in IPSE and IPSE-T versions. To verify the reliability of the questionnaires, the Cronbach alpha coefficient was calculated as well as the p-value of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the sample means of the different groups. Identifying the profiles of the students through ILS, the students 'and teachers' perceptions about the study environment, respectively through IPSE and IPSE-T, the research results in the application of the theoretical guidelines based on Vygotsky aimed at the profile of these students and the development of the study environment for the teaching and learning process / Mestre