Nesta dissertação, propusemos a análise de artigos sobre pontuação publicados pela Revista Língua Portuguesa direcionados aos professores de Língua Portuguesa e afins. Este estudo parte da observação de que muitos desses profissionais, sem condições de se submeter a processos de capacitação especializada ou formação continuada, lançam mão dessas publicações como supostos recursos de atualização em relação às informações pertinentes à pratica de ensino. A Revista, no entanto, não restringe seu público-alvo aos professores: é voltada também a estudantes, funcionários de órgãos governamentais e secretarias, curiosos do assunto, principalmente executivos e jornalistas. Nesse sentido, o conceito de Recepção e Compreensão Responsiva (BAKHTIN, 1929), em consonância com a Teoria de Dialogismo do Texto Escrito (SAUTCHUK, 2000) e com a Teoria da Iconicidade Verbal (SIMÕES, 2009), fomentou a comprovação por meio de marcas dialógicas materializadas na superfície de nossos textos-córpus da participação desse professor como um tipo específico de interlocutor. Desse modo, confrontamos as dissonâncias teórico- gramaticais propaladas nos artigos à bibliografia de autoridade não só no tema principal pontuação como em subtemas que atravessavam os escritos em análise como tema, função sintática, estilística, conjunção e considerações sobre fala e escrita. Para isso, contamos com o aporte teórico que expõe desde a abordagem tradicional dos cânones gramaticais da nossa língua até as Gramáticas modernas. Além disso, teóricos de diferentes linhas nos ajudaram a registrar o equívoco dos articulistas arrolados, ao se basearem em visões infiéis, parciais ou truncadas do que discutiam / In this Master thesis, we proposed an analysis of articles about scoring published by Língua Portuguesa magazine and addressed to teachers of Portuguese Language and the like. This study starts from the observation that many of these professionals, unable to undergo specialized training processes or continued education, make use of these publications as alleged update capabilities in relation to information pertinent to the practice of teaching. The Magazine, however, does not restrict its target audience to teachers: it is also aimed at students, employees of government agencies and departments, curious subject, especially executives and journalists. In this sense, the concept of Responsive Reception and Understanding (BAKHTIN, 1929), in line with the theory of Dialogism Written Text (SAUTCHUK, 2000) and the Theory of Verbal Iconicity (SIMÕES, 2009), helped us to prove - through brand dialogical materialized on the surface of our texts corpus - the participation of teacher as a specific type of interlocutor. Thus, confront dissonance theory and grammatical articles divulged in the bibliography of authority not only in the main theme - score - as in subthemes that crossed the writings on the theme analysis, syntactic function, stylistic considerations conjunction and speaking and writing. For this, we rely on the theoretical support that exposes the traditional approach since the canons of grammar of our language until modern grammars. Moreover, different theoretical lines helped us to register the mistake of the listed writers, the visions are who his analysis on infidels, partial or truncated arguments

Grupos de pesquisa em ensino de bioquímica, patrocinados pela International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) procuram, atualmente, inventariar os conceitos-chave fundamentais para o ensino de bioquímica, face à grande expansão de conhecimentos. Um desses conceitos é o de equilíbrio dinâmico, pela sua ubiquidade (sistema tampão, reversibilidade e sentido das reações, conceito de energia livre padrão e energia livre, cinética enzimática, regulação alostérica, potencial de redução, entre outros). Dada a importância dos conceitos fundamentais para a construção de novos conhecimentos, é necessário que eles não estejam distorcidos por conceitos alternativos. Como há notável escassez de dados sobre equilíbrio químico no aprendizado de Bioquímica, esta tese produziu (1) a prospecção de conceitos alternativos bioquímicos; (2) a proposição de estratégias instrucionais que corrijam ou atenuem os conceitos encontrados. Para a consecução do item (2) foi desenvolvido, aplicado e avaliado um software que simula situações de equilíbrio químico contextualizadas nos tópicos de Bioquímica. Os resultados mostraram que os alunos: i. possuem graves falhas conceituais em equilíbrio químico, mesmo em questões simples; ii. incorporaram frases lapidares da química fundamental, sem conseguir compreender os fundamentos dessas assertivas; iii. aplicam as manipulações matemáticas envolvidas nos problemas de equilíbrio químico sem conseguir compreender os fenômenos envolvidos; iv. tratam o equilíbrio químico fundamentalmente de forma algébrica, sem considerar a natureza do fenômeno; v. não conseguem aplicar os conceitos de equilíbrio químico em uma situação nova, mesmo numa situação voltada para os conceitos de bioquímica. O software produzido foi um Simulador Virtual de Eletroforese (SVE), que integra os níveis de representação do fenômeno químico; foi construído com perspectiva de utilização online tendo sido desenvolvido nas plataformas Java Script, HTML5 e CSS, compatível com padrões tecnológicos internacionais (World Wide Web Consortium). Os resultados de sua aplicação em uma disciplina de graduação mostraram que a intervenção proporcionou um aumento nos acertos em testes diagnósticos aplicados aos alunos em comparação ao grupo que não sofreu intervenção. Concluiu-se que o SVE foi capaz de atenuar conceitos alternativos previamente diagnosticados e que é necessário produzir ferramentas específicas de intervenção para conceitos alternativos identificados. / Research groups in teaching biochemistry, sponsored by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) seeking currently inventorying the key fundamental concepts for teaching biochemistry, given the great expansion of knowledge. One of these concepts is the dynamic balance by their ubiquity (reduction potential, among other buffer system, and reversible reactions the direction of the concept of standard free energy, free energy, enzyme kinetics, allosteric regulation). Given the importance of the fundamental concepts for the construction of new knowledge, it is necessary that they are not distorted by alternative concepts. As there is remarkable paucity of data on the chemical balance of Biochemistry learning, this thesis produced (1) the exploration of alternative biochemical concepts; (2) the proposition of instructional strategies to correct or mitigate the concepts found. To achieve the item (2) was developed, implemented and evaluated a software that simulates situations contextualized chemical balance in the topics of biochemistry. The results showed that students i. have serious conceptual flaws in chemical equilibrium, even in simple matters; ii. incorporated terse phrases of fundamental chemistry, unable to understand the fundamentals of these assertions; iii. apply the mathematical manipulations involved in the problems of chemical equilibrium unable to understand the phenomena involved; iv. treat the chemical balance essentially algebraic way, without considering the nature of the phenomenon; v. fail to apply the concepts of chemical equilibrium in a new situation, even in a situation facing the concepts of biochemistry. The software was produced a Virtual Simulator Electrophoresis (EVS), which integrates the levels of representation of chemical phenomenon; was built with the prospect of using online platforms have been developed in Java Script, HTML5 and CSS, compatible with international technological standards (World Wide Web Consortium). The results of its application in a undergraduate course showed that the intervention resulted in an increase in accuracy for diagnostic tests applied to students in the comparison group who did not undergo intervention. It was concluded that the EVS was able to mitigate previously diagnosed and alternative concepts that are necessary to produce specific intervention tools identified for alternative concepts

The endowment and the framing effect are widely examined cognitive biases. The experimental economics literature, using choice data gathered through an elicitation device, commonly finds evidence of these biases. Recent work by Cason & Plott (2014) shows that the interpretation of choice data as consistent with biases related non-standard preference theory could also be consistent with confusion or misconception of the game type used to elucidate preferences. I use the Cason and Plott card auction framework to analyze offers of buyers and sellers in an experimental setting with subjects from the University of New Orleans simulating 97 sellers and 90 buyers. The two games have symmetric payoffs in order to examine cognitive biases given subjects’ misconception of the game form. Subjects of both games display misconception of game form that explains both endowment and framing effects by rational confused choice; however, buyers display a much greater dispersion of offers than sellers. I estimate card implied valuation of sellers and buyers given game form misconception and find no statistical endowment effect, but I do find valuation is more uncertain in the buyer’s game. The theory of Rational Inattention predicts this lack of offer symmetry is due to the additional cognitive steps necessary in calculating buyer offers.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a back education programme on biomechanical knowledge, back beliefs, the occurrence of LBP, disability, and work loss among employees at an industrial setting in Cape Town, South Africa. Furthermore, the study sought to determine the perceptions of back education that are held by industrial employees. / South Africa

Background: Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to be effective in reducing mortality and morbidity in Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). There is a limited amount of research that evaluates the impact of menu-based CR, in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome with Low Troponin levels (ACSLT). Aim: This thesis contains a feasibility study and an exploratory study. The feasibility study aimed to examine the feasibility of a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) which would test the impact of a menu-based CR programme, on individuals diagnosed with ACSLT, against standard care. This feasibility study included staff views. The exploratory study aimed to explore the impact that ACSLT and CR can have on this client group. Method: The feasibility study was a repeated measures case-control trial of menu-based CR based on the theoretical framework of the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM), using a range of health assessments. The areas assessed included misconceptions, symptoms, anxiety, depression and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). In addition, focus groups were held with both ward and specialist CR staff to seek their views on the feasibility of a RCT of menu-based CR for ACSLT. The exploratory study consisted of description and analysis of the data that had been collected from the participants over the two year period as above. In addition it included qualitative data that had been collected during interviews with the participants. Findings: Participants (n=33) were recruited from cardiology wards following an admission with ACSLT. They were assessed at baseline (T1), nine months (T3) and 24 months (T4). Twenty-five participants completed the studies. The feasibility study was successful in its aim of testing the CR intervention and protocols for a further RCT. The intervention was acceptable to the participants and to the specialist staff, although the ward staff did not see the need for a RCT. The measures used, with the exception of the self-reporting measures, were suitable and provided a wide range of data that could be utilised in a RCT. However the changes to diagnostic categories meant that a RCT would no longer be feasible. The exploratory study found that both groups were similar on a range of baseline demographic and clinical factors. There was a tendency to benefit within the exploratory study which favoured the intervention. An additional finding from the exploratory study was the degree of uncertainty experienced by the participants, within the context of a changing political and clinical landscape. Discussion and conclusions: The studies presented in this thesis add to our knowledge by highlighting some of the difficulties in designing a RCT of menu-based CR in a specific subgroup of CHD and by presenting outcome data for a small group of participants that have not previously been studied within the literature. This data suggests that there was a tendency to benefit for the intervention that requires further study. Implications for practice: Patients with ACSLT are now being included in CR programmes due to the changes within the diagnostic criteria. Clinicians have little understanding of the impact of CR on this group of patients, or what type of interventions would work best. Large RCT’s will however be problematic and this thesis has highlighted that further work is required to explore how CR can best improve the well-being of individuals with ACSLT.

Title: Experiments supporting the teaching of thermodynamics at high school level Author: Petr Kácovský Department: Department of Physics Education Supervisor: doc. RNDr. Zdeněk Drozd, Ph.D., Department of Physics Education Abstract: This doctoral thesis is aimed at chosen aspects of teaching of thermodynamics on high school. The thesis can be divided into two main parts: The research part deals with investigation of typical students' conceptual difficulties in the field of thermal phenomena and its primary goal is to identify the most distinctive misconceptions of observed population. More than 500 students were questioned using a conceptual test both as pretest and posttest; approximately half of them also participated in the retention test which took part two years after pretest. The results of the conceptual test are connected with data obtained on the basis of the simultaneously conducted research of students' attitudes. The developmental part of the thesis - partly inspired by previous misconception research - deals with arranging, documentation and testing of experiments relevant to teaching of thermodynamics. In total, 46 experiments were arranged, students-tested and published in the electronic Collection of Physics Experiments. These experiments are primarily intended for teachers as inspiration...

I årskurserna 4–6 ska eleverna genomgå en progression att lära sig hur rationella tal och tal i decimalform är uppbyggda. Forskning har visat att det kan uppstå flera svårigheter och missuppfattningar kring området, bland annat veta siffrors olika platsvärde. Denna studie har inspirerats av en tidigare studie, genomförd av Jarl och Johansson (2014). Syftet med denna studie är att jämföra om samma kritiska aspekter som identifierats i Jarl och Johansson (2014) studie även visar sig i andra elevgrupper. Frågeställningen som studien ska besvara är: Vilka kritiska aspekter kan identifieras i en årskurs 4 och en årskurs 5 kring tal i decimalform? För att kunna besvara frågeställningen har eleverna i denna studie fått genomföra ett arbetsblad med uppgifter kopplade till tal i decimalform. Därefter har kvalitativa intervjuer genomförts för att få en breddad insikt kring vilka kritiska aspekter eleverna har eller inte har urskilt. Metodvalet i studien har inslag av variationsteorin där eleverna behöver få syn på nödvändiga detaljer (i studien benämnd som kritiska aspekter). Studiens resultat visar att samtliga kritiska aspekter som identifierades i Jarl och Johanssons (2014) studie, även var kritiska i denna studie. Däremot identifierades en ny kritisk aspekt: Elever behöver förstå att siffror på varsin sida om decimaltecknet tillsammans utgör ett tal. Kunskaper om kritiska aspekter kan ses som specialkunskaper för lärare att veta vad som kan missuppfattas kring det matematiska området. Dessa kunskaper kan inte generaliseras, men de kan vara överförbara att en kritisk aspekt kan identifieras i andra elevgrupper. / In grades 4–6, students must undergo a progression to learn how rational numbers and numbers in decimal form are structured. Research has shown that there can be several difficulties and misconceptions about the area, including knowing the different place value of numbers. This study has been inspired by a previous study, conducted by Jarl and Johansson (2014). The aim of this study is to compare whether the same critical aspects identified in Jarl and Johansson (2014) studies also show up in other student groups. The subject of interest in this study was: What critical aspects can be identified in a grade 4 and a grade 5 around numbers in decimal form? In order to be able to answer the question, the students in this study have had to complete a worksheet with tasks linked to numbers in decimal form. Thereafter, qualitative interviews were conducted to gain a broader insight into what critical aspects the students have or have not distinguished. The choice of method in the study has elements of the theory of variation where the students need to see the necessary details (in the study called critical aspects). The results of the study show that all critical aspects that were identified in Jarl and Johansson's (2014) study were also critical in this study. However, a new critical aspect was identified: Students need to understand that numbers on each side of the decimal point together must become a number. Knowledge of critical aspects can be seen as special knowledge for teachers to know what can be misunderstood about the mathematical field. This knowledge cannot generalize, but it can be transferable so that a critical aspect can be identified in other student groups.

Koldioxidhalterna stiger i världen, vilket bidrar till global uppvärmning. Skogen har en viktig roll i klimatarbetet då stora mängder kol finns lagrad i skog och mark. Speciellt mycket kol finns i boreal skog, som bland annat finns i norra Sverige. Idag pågår en debatt huruvida det är mer fördelaktigt att behålla gammal skog som kolsänka, eller avverka den för att ge plats åt yngre träd. Syftet med litteraturstudien var att ge en klargörande bild över hur åldern på boreal skog påverkar ekosystemets kolbalans, genom att undersöka skogens kolupptagningshastighet samt möjlighet till kollagring. Studien visade att äldre skog har ett större totalt kollager, att medelåldrig skog har högst tillväxthastighet (nettoekosystemproduktion, NEP och nettoprimärproduktion, NPP) samt att NEP är negativ de första 10 åren. Studien visade på osäkerhet kring kolupptag i gamla skogar. Flera variabler, såsom substitution, störningar och biologisk mångfald är inte undersökta i studien och behövs tas i beaktning vid beslutsfattande. Trots detta, antyder litteraturstudien att det är fördelaktigt att låta gammal skog stå kvar som kolsänka, eftersom koldioxidutsläppen behöver minska snarast. Ytterligare ett syfte med studien var att kartlägga de missuppfattningar elever, i senare delen av skolan, har gällande kolets kretslopp. Studien visade på missuppfattningar gällande fotosyntes och respiration hos växter, nedbrytarnas roll samt sammanblandning av begrepp. För att åtgärda problemet kan uppgifter göras där atomer följs över olika nivåer, för att sätta processerna i sitt sammanhang. Stort fokus gällande missuppfattningarna ligger på fotosyntes och respiration och inga artiklar hittades gällande exempelvis det snabba, respektive långsamma, kretsloppet. Få studier är gjorda på svenska elever och då svensk kursplan lägger fokus på samband mellan olika nivåer kan missuppfattningarna vara i annorlunda i Sverige. Hur missuppfattningarna ser ut i svensk skola är föremål för vidare forskning. / The amount of carbon dioxide is rising in the atmosphere, which contributes, to global warming. Since large amounts of carbon are stored in forests, forests play an important part the efforts to improve the environment. Boreal forests, found in e.g. the northern part of Sweden, store especially large amounts of carbon. Today it is being debated whether it is more beneficial for the environment to keep old forests as a carbon sink, or to cut them down in order to make room for younger trees. The purpose of this literature study was to clarify how the age of the forest affects the carbon balance of the ecosystem, by examining the forest’s rate of carbon sequestration and capability of carbon storage. The literature study concluded that older forests, in total, store larger amounts of carbon, while middle-aged forests have he highest growth rate (net ecosystem production, NEP, and gross primary production, GPP) and that NEP is negative in the first ten years. The study showed some uncertainty concerning carbon uptake in old forests. Several variables, such as the effects of substitution, disturbances and biodiversity were not examined in this study and need to be further considered before making decisions. However, the literature study suggests that it is more beneficial to leave old forests as a carbon sink, since emissions of carbon dioxide urgently need to be reduced. Another purpose of the study was to examine the misconceptions that students, in the later school years, have regarding the carbon cycle. This study found misconceptions concerning photosynthesis and respiration in plants, the role of decomposers, as well as getting concepts mixed up with one another. To solve this problem, assignments could be designed where atoms are traced between different levels, in order to put the processes in context. A large part of the focus regarding these misconceptions has been on photosynthesis and respiration and no articles were found regarding e.g. the fast; and the slow; carbon cycle. Few studies of Swedish students have been made and since the Swedish curriculum focuses on the relationship between different levels, the misconceptions might be different in Sweden; what these misconceptions could be in Swedish schools is yet to be investigated.

Research in early algebra is critical because a smooth transition from arithmetic to algebra will influence future algebra learning that is central to school mathematics. This study investigated learners’ interpretation of letters in different levels of generalised arithmetic activities. Thirty grade nine learners from one inner city school participated in this study. All learners engaged with seventeen paper and pencil tasks encompassing six different interpretations of letters and six learners were then interviewed. Analysis of the data showed that the overall performance of learners was very poor and most learners have not been successful in making the transition from arithmetic to algebra. Learner responses suggested a strong arithmetical influence and a poor understanding of algebraic letter and basic manipulative skills. Throughout the data a number of misconceptions surfaced which suggested that most learners in this sample were lacking ‘symbol sense’.

This study attempts to discern if geologic time is a threshold concept for student understanding of evolutionary theory. A threshold concept enables the learner to unpack other concepts because of its importance in thought construction. In this study three teachers and ten sections of biology were investigated from the same high school. Each teacher used the same activities, in the same sequence, and with identical evaluation methods. Students in the treatment group covered a unit on geologic time prior to completing course work on evolutionary theory. Student misconceptions in both control and treatment groups were assessed using a composite concept inventory administered post and prior to the study. Statistical analysis conducted revealed no statistical evidence to support the contention that the treatment method was more effective than traditional methods of teaching evolution. It was found that students agreed significantly more with evolution post study in both treatment and control groups.