This research examined the critical thinking (CT) skills and conceptions of prospective teachers studying at Foreign Language Education Department at Middle East Technical University. In this way, the study intended to contribute to the field of curriculum and instruction by pointing to the currents status while constituting a basis for further actions in teacher education in terms CT. In this research, data analysis was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. A survey, including Student Information Form, and Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal- Form YM Turkish version were utilized for data gathering. Data were collected from 103 prospective teachers in the junior and senior level during the Spring Semester of 2007- 2008 Academic Year. Results demonstrated that the critical thinking (CT) levels of prospective teachers assessed by WGCTA are in medium level. In addition, WGCTA-YM cannot be predicted from reported regular reading activity, CGPA, and gender. Besides, results showed that, prospective teachers make rudiment or vague statements about critical thinking activities and do not point to a common instructional activity. In terms of critical thinking definitions, prospective teachers mostly perceive CT as a cognitive skill. Furthermore, there is a common sense view of CT rather than an understanding based on literature. The results revealed that prospective teachers are short of the essential CT skills and the CT comprehension to be able to raise individuals with CT ability. Therefore, curriculum renovation movements, projects, and research studies to improve critical thinking skills in teacher education should be developed and implemented.

Developmental evaluation (Patton, 1994, 2011) is one of the latest approaches to be introduced into evaluation practice. It purports to support the development of social innovation by infusing evaluative thinking through collaboration between program clients and the developmental evaluator (Patton, 2011). In an attempt to build “practical knowledge” (Schwandt, 2008) about this emerging approach, this research seeks to investigate the capacity of developmental evaluation to support innovation. This thesis reports on a case study of the Assessment Pilot Initiative (API) where developmental evaluation was used to support the development of a novel approach to teacher education. Charged with a vision to innovate their own teaching practices and the learning of teacher candidates, the instructors of the case invited a developmental evaluator onboard in a yearlong collaboration. While the instructors, along with the developmental evaluator, were uncertain about the outcome of the initiative or how best to proceed, this engagement resulted in a novel adaptation of microblogging web technology (Twitter) that came to be piloted with a group of teacher candidates. This thesis presents an analysis of the development process and the contributions developmental evaluation made in enabling the development of the API. Such analysis is anchored in the records of the program development, and in the perspectives of the program clients and the developmental evaluator. Analyzing the program development records for developmental moments revealed certain trends and patterns that, when triangulated with interview data from program clients and with reflections from the developmental evaluator, provided intricate insights into how the development came about and of the contributions developmental evaluation made in this case. Development of API proceeded in a highly nonlinear, emergent process through six foci of development. Critical to addressing the uncertainty and complexity that might had otherwise inhibited development, developmental evaluation enabled a data-informed approach that lent a quality of responsiveness to the emergent, evolving nature of the initiative. The developmental evaluator was instrumental in identifying activities that helped make explicit values and assumptions underpinning the initiative and in structuring a learning framework to engage program clients in sense-making. The notion of design emerged from analysis as an important function of developmental evaluation. Implications of the findings are discussed. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2011-12-29 18:05:34.631

The methodology by which to teach these outcomes was not clear. An intervention programme, Philosophy for Children (P4C) is used in some countries across the world to promote thinking. Research across the world has shown that this programme has the ability to enhance the cognitive abilities of learners exposed to it. Stories for Thinking (SFT) is an intervention programme based on the principles of Philosophy for Children and was introduced in some schools in an Education District of the Western Cape. This study investigates the perceptions of Intermediate Phase educators about the implementation of Stories for Thinking in this Education District. Educators were asked their strengths and challenges of the approach, their way of using it and the support they received. A qualitative research method was used and data were gathered to answer the research questions by means of questionnaires and interviews. Research findings indicate that educators perceived that Stories for Thinking was able to enhance the reading ability of the learners, it showed a significant improvement in their confidence levels, and a positive change in their general behaviour. Language was seen as a barrier to learning, but the evidence indicates that the community of inquiry can be used as a tool to overcome some of the barriers. It seems as if educators valued the support from the project leaders. It is concluded that this kind of intervention programme is worth introducing as long as all the role-players play their part and the setting is conducive.

<p>South Africa had a change in government and in education after the 1994 elections. A new curriculum was introduced and some of the underlying critical outcomes were to develop the learners to become critical thinkers. The methodology by which to teach these outcomes was not clear. An intervention programme, Philosophy for Children (P4C) is used in some countries across the world to promote thinking. Research across the world has shown that this programme has the ability to enhance the cognitive abilities of learners exposed to it. Stories for Thinking (SFT) is an intervention programme based on the principles of Philosophy for Children and was introduced in some schools in an Education District of the Western Cape. This study investigates the perceptions of Intermediate Phase educators about the implementation of Stories for Thinking in this Education District. Educators were asked their strengths and challenges of the approach, their way of using it and the support they received. A qualitative research method was used and data were gathered to answer the research questions by means of questionnaires and interviews. Research findings indicate that educators perceived that Stories for Thinking was able to enhance the reading ability of the learners, it showed a significant improvement in their confidence levels, and a positive change in their general behaviour. Language was seen as a barrier to learning, but the evidence indicates that the community of inquiry can be used as a tool to overcome some of the barriers. It seems as if educators valued the support from the project leaders. It is concluded that this kind of intervention programme is worth introducing as long as all the role-players play their part and the setting is conducive.</p>

Titel En kvalitativ fallstudie om hur företag förhåller sig till gapet mellan den operativa och den strategiska delen av Lean Nivå Kandidatuppsats   Författare Igor Jovanović och Linnea Juhlin   Handledare Stig Sörling och Tomas Källquist   Datum Maj 2014   Problem Tidigare forskning har påvisat att det finns ett gap i företagens användning av styrverktyget, där företagen i stor utsträckning förbiser vikten av den strategiska delen av Lean. Detta har gjort att företag har haft svårigheter att uppnå sina mål med användandet av styrverktyget.   Syfte Syftet är att skapa förståelse för hur tillverkande företag förhåller sig till gapet mellan den operativa och den strategiska delen av Lean, samt belysa de beståndsdelar gapet består av.   Metod Studien har antagit ett hermeneutiskt och socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv där tematisering och ett deduktivt tillvägagångssätt har använts. Studien har genom kvalitativ metod med fallstudiedesign studerat fyra stora företag med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer.   Teori En genomgång av Lean-konceptet görs för att skapa förståelse för styrverktyget sedan fördjupar vi oss på den strategiska delen av Lean för att kartlägga de olika beståndsdelarna som kan överbrygga gapet.   Bidrag Gapet framträder inte lika tydligt i vår studie, fallföretagen har i sitt tankesätt störst fokus på den strategiska delen av Lean. Kultur och ledarskap är huvudbeståndsdelar i jobbet med att överbrygga gapet där den strategiska delen ämnar skapa positiv energi hos medarbetarna. Studien indikerar på att svårigheter med att införliva de teoretiska kunskaperna i praktiken ökar risken för att gapet ska uppstå.               Nyckelord: Lean Production, Lean Thinking, Lean kultur, Gap, operativ, strategisk, Dualism. / Title A qualitative case study research on companies attitude towards the gap between the operational and the strategic part of Lean Level Bachelor thesis   Authors Igor Jovanović and Linnea Juhlin   Supervisor Stig Sörling and Tomas Källquist   Date May 2014   Problem Earlier research has shown that there is a gap in how companies work with Lean where they largely overlook the importance of the strategic part of Lean. Due to this, companies have difficulties to achieve their goals with the use of the management tool.   Purpose The purpose of this report is to create an understanding of manufacturing companies’ attitude towards the gap between the operational and the strategic part of Lean, and to highlight the components that the gap might consist of.   Method The study adopts a hermeneutic and social constructionist perspective where thematisation and a deductive approach have been used. A qualitative approach with case study design has been used to study four large companies using semi-structured interviews.     Theoretic frame A review of the Lean concept has been conducted to create an understanding of the management tool. The study has then focused on the strategic part of Lean to identify the different components that may help to bridge the gap.   Contribution The gap is not as evident in our empirical study as in our theoretical framework. It appears as companies do have their focus on the strategic parts of Lean, at least in their way of thinking. Culture and leadership are essential components in the efforts towards bridging the gap. The strategic part of Lean intends to create positive energy among employees. The study indicates that a difficulty in incorporating the theoretical knowledge in practice increases the risk of creating the gap. Key words: Lean Production, Lean Thinking, Lean Culture, Gap, Operational, Strategic, Dualism

User-centered design processes are the first choice when new interactive systems or services are developed to address real customer needs and provide a good user experience. Common tools for collecting user research data, conducting brainstormings, or sketching ideas are whiteboards and sticky notes. They are ubiquitously available, and no technical or domain knowledge is necessary to use them. However, traditional pen and paper tools fall short when saving the content and sharing it with others unable to be in the same location. They are also missing further digital advantages such as searching or sorting content. Although research on digital whiteboard and sticky note applications has been conducted for over 20 years, these tools are not widely adopted in company contexts. While many research prototypes exist, they have not been used for an extended period of time in a real-world context. The goal of this thesis is to investigate what the enablers and obstacles for the adoption of digital whiteboard systems are. As an instrument for different studies, we developed the Tele-Board software system for collaborative creative work. Based on interviews, observations, and findings from former research, we tried to transfer the analog way of working to the digital world. Being a software system, Tele-Board can be used with a variety of hardware and does not depend on special devices. This feature became one of the main factors for adoption on a larger scale. In this thesis, I will present three studies on the use of Tele-Board with different user groups and foci. I will use a combination of research methods (laboratory case studies and data from field research) with the overall goal of finding out when a digital whiteboard system is used and in which cases not. Not surprisingly, the system is used and accepted if a user sees a main benefit that neither analog tools nor other applications can offer. However, I found that these perceived benefits are very different for each user and usage context. If a tool provides possibilities to use in different ways and with different equipment, the chances of its adoption by a larger group increase. Tele-Board has now been in use for over 1.5 years in a global IT company in at least five countries with a constantly growing user base. Its use, advantages, and disadvantages will be described based on 42 interviews and usage statistics from server logs. Through these insights and findings from laboratory case studies, I will present a detailed analysis of digital whiteboard use in different contexts with design implications for future systems. / Nutzerorientierte Gestaltungsprozesse werden angewandt, um zu gewährleisten, dass neue Software für Computer und Smartphones gebrauchstauglich ist und die tatsächlichen Bedürfnisse der Anwender adressiert. Dazu sollen potentielle Anwender befragt und beobachtet und darauf basierend Ideen und Entwürfe für die neue Software entwickelt werden. Um die Nutzerdaten und Ideen zu sammeln, sowie daraus Konzepte zu erarbeiten, werden häufig Whiteboards und Haftnotizen (Post-its) benutzt. Sie haben den Vorteil, dass sie weit verbreitet sind und keine speziellen Kenntnisse erfordern. Analoge Whiteboards sowie Stift und Papier haben allerdings auch den Nachteil, dass die Informationen nicht digital gespeichert und mit Personen an anderen Standorten geteilt werden können. Auch andere digitale Vorteile, wie z. B. Inhalte suchen und sortieren, sind nicht verfügbar. Obwohl es seit 20 Jahren Forschung zu digitalen Whiteboard-Anwendungen gibt, werden diese Systeme im Firmenumfeld kaum genutzt. Diverse Forschungsprototypen sind bisher weder im Langzeiteinsatz noch in Unternehmen ausreichend getestet worden. Ziel dieser Dissertation ist zu erforschen, welche Faktoren den Einsatz von digitalen Whiteboard-Systemen begünstigen und welche Faktoren eher hinderlich sind. Zu diesem Zweck haben wir das Tele-Board Software System für gemeinsames kreatives Arbeiten entwickelt. Basierend auf Interviews und Beobachtungen, sowie Erkenntnissen aus vorheriger Forschung, haben wir versucht, die analoge Arbeitsweise mit herkömmlichen Arbeitsmitteln in die digitale Welt zu übertragen. Tele-Board kann mit unterschiedlicher Hardware benutzt werden und ist nicht an spezielle Geräte gebunden. Diese Tatsache hat sich als Vorteil für den Einsatz der Software in größerem Umfang erwiesen. In dieser Arbeit präsentiere ich drei Studien zur Nutzung von Tele-Board von verschiedenen Anwendern in unterschiedlichen Umgebungen. Die Studien wurden sowohl unter kontrollierten Bedingungen, als auch im realen Arbeitsumfeld durchgeführt. Wie zu erwarten war, wird das System besonders dann angenommen, wenn die Anwender Vorteile sehen, die sie mit analogen Arbeitsmitteln und anderer Software nicht haben. Allerdings unterscheiden sich die empfundenen Vorteile je nach Anwender und Nutzungskontext. Daher steigen die Chancen auf eine Verbreitung der Software, wenn sie verschiedene Anwendungsfälle und unterschiedliches Equipment unterstützt. Tele-Board ist mittlerweile seit 1,5 Jahren in einer global agierenden IT-Firma in mindestens fünf Ländern mit konstant steigenden Nutzerzahlen im Einsatz. Auf der Basis von 42 Interviews und Nutzungsstatistiken vom Server wird beschrieben, auf welche Art und Weise das System angewandt wird und welche Vor- und Nachteile es hat. Aus diesen Erkenntnissen sowie anderen Studien, präsentiere ich eine detaillierte Analyse der Nutzung von digitalen Whiteboards und gebe Empfehlungen für die Entwicklung zukünftiger Systeme.

In a challenging and constantly changing world, students are required to develop advanced thinking skills such as critical systematic thinking, decision making and problem solving. This challenge requires developing critical thinking abilities which are essential in unfamiliar situations. A central component in current reforms in mathematics and science studies worldwide is the transition from the traditional dominant instruction which focuses on algorithmic cognitive skills towards higher order cognitive skills. The transition includes, a component of scientific inquiry, learning science from the student's personal, environmental and social contexts and the integration of critical thinking. The planning and implementation of learning strategies that encourage first order thinking among students is not a simple task. In an attempt to put the importance of this transition in mathematical education to a test, we propose a new method for mathematical instruction based on the infusion approach put forward by Swartz in 1992. In fact, the model is derived from two additional theories., that of Ennis (1989) and of Libermann and Tversky (2001). Union of the two latter is suggested by the infusion theory. The model consists of a learning unit (30h hours) that focuses primarily on statistics every day life situations, and implemented in an interactive and supportive environment. It was applied to mathematically gifted youth of the Kidumatica project at Ben Gurion University. Among the instructed subjects were bidimensional charts, Bayes law and conditional probability; Critical thinking skills such as raising questions, seeking for alternatives and doubting were evaluated. We used Cornell tests (Ennis 1985) to confirm that our students developed critical thinking skills.

<p>This study explored the effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children. One of the challenges facing education in South Africa is that the school curriculum has to promote the development of values, such as respect for life, equality, protection of freedom and the right to an opinion, through creative and critical thinking. The theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky inform our understanding of cognitive development with the important notions of active involvement, mediated learning and the development of thinking skills. Many programmes have been developed to assist learners in this regard. One such programme is Philosophy for Children. This study located Philosophy for Children and the locally developed material, Stories for thinking, in Vygotskian theory and explored its application within a South African context.</p>

Education is rapidly moving away from the instructional models of the 19th century and educationalists are now asserting that not only do students need to be able to learn by rote but also to be able to think in a more profound and complex manner. Students are required to develop new processes to handle the rapidly changing world that they are expected to take part in as they complete their formal learning. This change is evident in all the developed nations and Australian students are finding that they are being asked to demonstrate a range of higher order thinking skills in all their school subjects. Science courses in Queensland require students to be assessed on both complex reasoning and scientific process skills. Studies have shown that students can develop these skills in a number of ways that include the exposure to appropriate open-ended hands-on tasks. As higher order thinking skills underlie the development of both complex reasoning and scientific process, it is important that science educators take appropriate steps to facilitate the development of this level of thinking. This study examined the use of some higher order thinking skills by students using Information Technology in their science classroom. It investigated the degree to which students used their higher order thinking skills when engaged in a computer simulation of a complex science task. The study involved two pairs of Year 9 students, one pair each from the upper and lower quartiles of the year level, in a private Years 4 to 12 boys' school in an inner Brisbane suburb. All students had been immersed in Information Technology in Years 4 to 8 as part of a technology-across-the-curriculum project for all year levels in the school and at the time of the study were at the end of their second semester in Year 9. Students had worked with a large number of computer applications in all their subjects, averaging about one lesson in the computer room per day across all their subjects for the past year of schooling. The school also had a policy for learning and teaching that revolved around the development in students of critical thinking and, specifically in Science, complex reasoning, and scientific process skills. During this study, students engaged in a computer simulation requiring the application of skills and knowledge already learnt in their science course. The modules of this simulation developed an understanding of the essentials for life and the quantities of a range of items from water to seeds to land areas that would be required for a number of people that would be needed to staff the Lunar Base. Prompts were given on the way, which assisted students in their decision making. Students progressed through the various areas and stages of the development of the Lunar Base until they were satisfied that each area supported the others and that there was no imbalance that needed to be corrected. Once all stages had been completed, students were free to change variables and experiment further as they saw fit in order that they might produce the most self-sufficient Lunar Base possible. There was some evidence that the simulation did encourage the students in the pairs observed to think in greater depth about the materials and to argue their convictions in an improved manner. As well as the students appearing to increase in competency in argument over the period of time, the four students in their final interviews, spoke of feeling satisfied with the results of the lessons. The students also appeared more engrossed in their task and the pedagogy provided in the task was appreciated as it gave meaning to why they were required to learn scientific materials as well also presenting them with ways to find the knowledge for themselves.

In this study a phenomenographic theoretical perspective is taken as departure for research on manifested critical thinking in civics among Swedish ninth-grade compulsory school students. According to the phenomenographic perspective students’ manifestations of critical thinking are linked to the way of experiencing the phenomena inducing a manifestation of critical thinking. Thus differences between students’ manifestations of critical thinking are linked to differences in the way of experiencing the phenomena inducing a manifestation of critical thinking. The empirical investigation in this study revolves around how 19 ninth-grade students experience four different tasks designed to induce manifestations of critical thinking. In broad terms the main aim of the study is to describe the students’ different ways of experiencing each specific task and furthermore, to link each specific way of experiencing a specific task to a specific type of manifested critical thinking in relation to that task. A more overarching aim is to offer and test the phenomenographic theoretical perspective as a way of conducting research on manifested critical thinking. The empirical results show how the way of experiencing a specific task plays a decisive roll for the type of manifested critical thinking, made possible in relation to the specific task. A more complex way of experiencing the task can be linked to a more complex manifestation of critical thinking in relation to the task. A less complex way of experiencing the task can be linked to a less complex manifestation of critical thinking in relation to the task. The study also suggests how these empirical results can be used in a pedagogical situation in order to enhance students manifested critical thinking in civics. Concerning the more overarching aim the study strongly points to a further use of the phenomenographic perspective when conducting research on students manifested critical thinking.