This thesis uses complexity theory to explore education in the context of a changing curriculum called ‘Opening Minds’. This new curriculum was introduced in the case study school in response to a wider curriculum change which emphasised ‘learning to learn’ and the development of ‘skills for the 21st Century’. In this study, a ‘complexity thinking’ theoretical framework was adopted, drawing especially on the work of Osberg and Biesta (Osberg et al., 2008, Osberg and Biesta, 2007, Biesta and Osberg, 2007) and Davis and Sumara (2006; 2007), paying particular attention to concepts of emergence and complexity reduction. Complexity theory, through the ‘logic of emergence’ offers a challenge to mechanistic approaches to understanding the world which, despite the work of postmodern and poststructural scholars in education, remains dominant in educational practice. The Opening Minds curriculum that is the focus of this case study demonstrated the potential to challenge this mechanistic approach, as the teachers expressed a desire to work in different, flexible and creative ways: this thesis therefore explores complexity theory’s challenge to a mechanistic approach in this particular case. It also addresses the relationship between Opening Minds and science education using complexity thinking. To facilitate exploration and analysis of the case, concepts of temporal and relational emergence and complexity reduction to develop a ‘complexity thinking’ understanding of concepts of agency/structure, power, identity and reflexivity. This entailed reconceptualisation of these ideas in a temporal-relational sense that explicitly incorporates a sensitivity to emergence. Specifically, an additional dimension to Emirbayer and Mische’s (1998) construction of multidimensional agency was added: that of creative agency. The research was conducted as a case study in which a ‘bricolage’ approach to data collection and analysis was used as part of an explicitly ‘complex’ methodology, addressing questions of the challenge of complexity reduction and ethics in research drawing on complexity theory. The findings indicated a challenge for teachers in negotiating tensions as they attempted to adopt approaches that could be considered ‘emergent’ alongside other ‘mechanistic’ practices. These tensions were explored in detail in relation to the concept of ‘reflection’, and in the interaction between science and Opening Minds. Bringing together the empirical and theoretical work in this study, it is suggested that mechanistic and emergent aspects may helpfully be viewed as a ‘vital simultaneity’ within the educational relationship (Davis, 2008) with the interaction between them facilitated by creative agency within a ‘pedagogy of interruption’ (Biesta, 2006). It was further argued that reflection could be used in responsive and flexible ways to support both learning and assessment as a crucial aspect of a pedagogy of interruption. Such a ‘contingently responsive and creative pedagogy’ may support the interaction between science and Opening Minds productively. It is suggested that complex approach to a pedagogy of interruption could support teachers in engaging with the creative and diverse elements of science or learning to learn curricula whilst maintaining the mechanistic aspects of teaching that support students in learning key concepts and skills.

abstract: Recommender systems are a type of information filtering system that suggests items that may be of interest to a user. Most information retrieval systems have an overwhelmingly large number of entries. Most users would experience information overload if they were forced to explore the full set of results. The goal of recommender systems is to overcome this limitation by predicting how users will value certain items and returning the items that should be of the highest interest to the user. Most recommender systems collect explicit user feedback, such as a rating, and attempt to optimize their model to this rating value. However, there is potential for a system to collect implicit user feedback, such as user purchases and clicks, to learn user preferences. Additionally with implicit user feedback, it is possible for the system to remember the context of user feedback in terms of which other items a user was considering when making their decisions. When considering implicit user feedback, only a subset of all evaluation techniques can be used. Currently, sufficient evaluation techniques for evaluating implicit user feedback do not exist. In this thesis, I introduce a new model for recommendation that borrows the idea of opportunity cost from economics. There are two variations of the model, one considering context and one that does not. Additionally, I propose a new evaluation measure that works specifically for the case of implicit user feedback. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Computer Science 2012

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O tema central deste trabalho à o conceito e a prÃtica do aprender a aprender na EducaÃÃo de Jovens e Adultos (EJA), procedendo-se à investigaÃÃo, à anÃlise e à descriÃÃo do modo de como esse processo à compreendido e vivenciado pelas docentes e pelos estudantes, da alfabetizaÃÃo à quarta sÃrie, em escolas municipais que atuam na EJA. Dada a complexidade do tema, este estudo apoia-se numa base metodolÃgica multirreferencial, valorizando tanto os conhecimentos sistematizados por autores de diversas linhas de pensamento e Ãreas cientÃficas - Psicologia, Pedagogia, Sociologia, Filosofia, HistÃria -, como os dos sujeitos pesquisados - professores e alunos da EJA -, situados em suas circunstÃncias de vida e de aprendizagem. Os dados revelam que o aprender a aprender, na prÃtica das escolas municipais, mescla as necessidades particulares de cada professora, as convicÃÃes pedagÃgicas delas, as improvisaÃÃes que se fazem necessÃrias para o ajuste das aulas na realidade da EJA, o que foi deliberadamente ensinado e o que foi descoberto pelos alunos e alunas na e fora da escola. As contribuiÃÃes teÃricas das ciÃncias podem atuar como auxiliares dos educadores nesse processo, mas nÃo lhe oferecem receitas a seguir. Como conclusÃo, esta pesquisa apresenta que o aprender a aprender nÃo seguiu nem segue um Ãnico mÃtodo que possa ser sistematicamente descrito e reproduzido. Toda informaÃÃo que chega ao indivÃduo ajuda-o no traÃado de sua aprendizagem. Fora da escola essa prÃtica à corrente vivida por todas as pessoas, desde o nascimento. / The theme of this paper is the concept and practice of learning to learn for Youth and Adults Education (EJA), carrying out research, analysis and description of the method of how this process is understood and experienced by teachers and students of literacy to fourth grade in public schools that operate in Youth and Adults Education (EJA), Given the complexity of the issue, this study is based on a methodological multi-referenced basis for, highlighting both the knowledge documented by authors from various schools of thought and science - Psychology, Education, Sociology, Philosophy, History â and that of research subjects, teachers and students of adult education as located in their circumstances of life and learning. The data shows that learning to learn in municipal schools practice combines the needs of each teacher, their teaching beliefs, and the improvisations that are necessary to fit the classes in the reality of adult education, which was deliberately taught and which was discovered by pupils and students in and out of school. The theoretical contributions of the sciences can act as auxiliaries to educators in this process, but does not offer recipes to follow. In conclusion, this research shows that learning to learn has not and does not follow a single method that can be systematically described and reproduced. Any and all information that reaches the student helps their learning. Both in and outside of the school this practice is the wide experience of all people,from birth.

Submitted by Marta Toyoda (1144061@mackenzie.br) on 2018-02-21T23:45:28Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Bruno Mendonça Paris.pdf: 2393892 bytes, checksum: 0cd807e0fd978642fc513bf059389c1f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Paola Damato (repositorio@mackenzie.br) on 2018-04-04T11:43:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Bruno Mendonça Paris.pdf: 2393892 bytes, checksum: 0cd807e0fd978642fc513bf059389c1f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-04T11:43:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Bruno Mendonça Paris.pdf: 2393892 bytes, checksum: 0cd807e0fd978642fc513bf059389c1f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-07 / With the growth of the amount of information available in recent years, which will continue to grow due to the increase in users, devices and information shared over the internet, accessing the desired information should be done in a quick way so it is not spent too much time looking for what you want. A search in engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing is expected that the rst results bring the desired information. An area that aims to bring relevant documents to the user is known as Information Retrieval and can be aided by Learning to Rank algorithms, which applies machine learning to try to bring important documents to users in the best possible ordering. This work aims to verify a way to get an even better ordering of documents, using a technique of combining algorithms known as Stacking. To do so, it will used the RankLib tool, part of Lemur Project, developed in the Java language that contains several Learning to Rank algorithms, and the datasets from a base maintained by Microsoft Research Group known as LETOR. / Com o crescimento da quantidade de informação disponível nos últimos anos, a qual irá continuar crescendo devido ao aumento de usuários, dispositivos e informações compartilhadas pela internet, acessar a informação desejada deve ser feita de uma maneira rápida afim de não se gastar muito tempo procurando o que se deseja. Uma busca em buscadores como Google, Yahoo, Bing espera-se que os primeiros resultados tragam a informação desejada. Uma área que tem o objetivo de trazer os documentos relevantes para o usuário é conhecida por Recuperação de Informação e pode ser auxiliada por algoritmos Learning to Rank, que aplica aprendizagem de máquina para tentar trazer os documentos importantes aos usuários na melhor ordenação possível. Esse trabalho visa verificar uma maneira de obter uma ordenação ainda melhor de documentos, empregando uma técnica de combinar algoritmos conhecida por Stacking. Para isso será utilizada a ferramenta RankLib, parte de um projeto conhecido por Lemur, desenvolvida na linguagem Java, que contém diversos algoritmos Learning to Rank, e o conjuntos de dados provenientes de uma base mantida pela Microsoft Research Group conhecida por LETOR.

From 1990 to 1993 I was engaged as the Information Technology (IT) Workshop manager at Mid-Cornwall College, St. Austell. My mission during this period was to develop a new kind of IT learning environment. The main purpose was - and continues to be - to provide for mixed 'open-access’ student targets wishing to pursue generic IT activities and gain commensurate vocational qualifications. This Open-Learning (OL) environment provides on-the-job curriculum development of IT learning support systems, through a Flexible Learning (FL) management policy. An action research approach based on S-O-L provides both the methodology and technology for implementing a learning organisation. A key objective was institutional change towards the learning management policy of IT, through appropriate deployment of staffing and courseware resources to enable the practice of student centred learning. Another aim was to integrate and mix all target groups of learners together in the same domain, i. e. school leavers with adult returners for the achievement of a cost-effective, well-co-ordinated and productive learning environment. My action research applied the Centre for the Study of Human Learning's (CSHL's) ideas and tools towards the development of the IT Workshop's learning policy. I have sought to make the connection between FL delivery of the generic IT curriculum and the SOL approach towards individual and organisational learning. This came about from the link between the FL philosophy of learner-centred activity and the SOL philosophy of empowering individuals via Learning Conversations. S-O-L'Systems-7' was adopted as a conversational tool for developing the educational roles and practices of the IT Workshop. This influenced my college to make essential environmental changes to the workshop in order to develop these activities. The project also used the Personal Learning Contract (PLC) to manage and enable the 'learning-to-learn' activities of individual IT learners. With the PLC as the central tool for implementing Learning Conversations, there evolved the idea of 'Group Learning Contracts' (GLCs). This led to the practical development of 'Learning Plans' (LPs), such that IT flexible modules could be transferred to the autonomy of the learner. Evaluations from this project included sample case-study evidences of Learning Conversations obtained from individual IT case-load students. Repertory grid feedback conversations of learning experienced by individual staff members taking part in the project were also obtained. Questionnaire results from IT learners was used as another method of feedback, and conversationally evaluated using factor analysis and 'talkback' records. All the action research qualitative evidences were finally analysed using conversational techniques, leading to the overall project 'findings'.

The focus of this phenomenological research project is to delve into the question of ‘what it is like’ for teacher candidates to experience the phenomenon of learning to teach-in-relation in the context of a community service learning project. A sense of the phenomena of learning to teach-in-relation emerges as the five teacher candidates make and play with hula hoops beyond the initial intention of cultivating joyful physical activity on campus. This research is guided by van Manen’s (1997) phenomenological approach to researching lived experience, as well as an Indigenous research framework based on the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the medicine wheel. Within the relational and embodied framework of the medicine wheel, the following six significant themes shifted perceptions of what it means to teach: 1) waiting to learn; 2) shaping community; 3) learning in movement; 4) sitting with students; 5) learning with students; and 6) embodying a flexible practice.

No description available.

The aim of this dissertation is to lay the groundwork for an integrated approach to violin instruction for children who are not being groomed explicitly for professional careers as instrumentalists. The study presents a particular focus on the age of middle school children, in order to showcase a more specialized and definitive result of research without, however, distinguishing between advantages and limitations of different age groups of children who study music and learn to play the violin. My first goal is to craft a sample method of teaching with a premise that not all students studying music must or need to become professional musicians in their future. I promote an approach based on the premise that music has universal value available to all and that any kind of music education encourages the growth, personality development, and imagination of children. My second goal is to explore how music education functions in 21st century western culture. Research is based on teachings and methods established by Suzuki, Kodaly, Jaques-Dalcroze, and Orff, among others.

Abstract Syftet med vår studie är att undersöka hur lärare använder sig av kooperativt lärande ute i skolorna och i vad mån kooperativt lärande bidrar till språk-och kunskapsutveckling. Vår undersökning bygger på en kvalitativ metod och etnografisk studie, i vårt fall klassrumsobservationer. Våra observationer har vi genomfört på två olika skolor, i fem olika klasser, med elever i åldrarna 7-10 år. Resultatet har analyserats efter analysmetoderna koncentrering och kategorisering. Resultaten och analysen visar att det finns både för- och nackdelar inom det kooperativa lärandet och att läraren genom sitt arbete har en stor roll i detta. Vår slutsats är att lärarens roll, strukturerna, strategierna och samarbetsfärdigheterna är det som bygger upp det positiva ömsesidiga beroendet. Det vi också såg var att det fanns en tendens till att arbetsformen tog över från ämnesinnehållet. Utvecklingsområden vi såg inom svenska är att eleverna har möjlighet att utveckla sitt tal- och skriftspråk, genom att de får lov att kommunicera, tänka och lära tillsammans.

The Internet has revolutionized the way users share and acquire knowledge. As important and popular Web-based applications, online discussion forums provide interactive platforms for users to exchange information and report problems. With the rapid growth of social networks and an ever increasing number of Internet users, online forums have accumulated a huge amount of valuable user-generated data and have accordingly become a major information source for business intelligence. This study focuses specifically on product defects, which are one of the central concerns of manufacturing companies and service providers, and proposes a machine learning method to automatically detect product defects in the context of online forums. To complement the detection of product defects , we also present a product feature extraction method to summarize defect threads and a thread ranking method to search for troubleshooting solutions. To this end, we collected different data sets to test these methods experimentally and the results of the tests show that our methods are very promising: in fact, in most cases, they outperformed the current state-of-the-art methods. / Ph. D.