Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / Royce Ann Collins / This exploratory study investigated reflective thinking by professionals in the workplace and relationships between participant demographics and reflective thinking. The Questionnaire for Reflective Thinking (QRT) was used to assess the quality of reflective thinking in a sample (n = 102) of individuals certified by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) as Certified Performance Technologists (CPT) (N = 697). Business leaders seek employees who practice reflective thinking. Employers and students expect college coursework to provide the needed skills and educators recognize this need. Researchers have developed reliable measures of reflective thinking, but the quality of reflective thinking practiced by professionals in the workplace is not known. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine QRT scores for habitual action, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection, with respect to the demographic variables of gender, age, years of experience, education level, and academic discipline. Significant relationships between age and scores for habitual action, experience and scores for habitual action, education level and scores for understanding, gender and scores for critical reflection, and experience and scores for critical reflection were identified. No other differences in QRT scores based on the independent variable gender, age, experience, education level, or academic discipline were statistically significant.

This thesis is a contribution to Perry Scheme studies that have described and rated the intellectual and ethical development of students and others. The population of evangelical seminary students among three institutional types of seminaries is the unique contribution of this work. Seminary students are preparing for a career that requires critical thinking skills and the ability to discern solutions to complex problems. Developing thinking that is able to recognize and weigh divergent views is of the utmost concern. This qualitative research project was conducted through a semi-structured interview of seminary students, using open-ended questions and follow-up probes designed to elicit the students’ understanding of the nature and justification of knowledge. The Center for the Study of Intellectual Development rated these according to the scheme developed by William Perry. The interviews were also analyzed by the researcher according to John David Trentham’s categories of epistemological priorities and competencies.

Em resposta à pressão competitiva, as mudanças rápidas das necessidades do consumidor, a inovação é vista como relevante para as empresas buscarem novos caminhos, entrar em novas categorias ou canais de distribuição, assim como produzir novos produtos e serviços. Dessa forma, a inovação passa a ser o principal recurso de vantagem competitiva para muitas organizações diante de um cenário de mudanças rápidas e incertezas. O Design Thinking pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento de inovações, devido à natureza do seu processo, voltado a atender às necessidades das pessoas para alcançar o sucesso da inovação. Porém, para inovar, as pessoas envolvidas no processo devem ter as competências necessárias. Nesse sentido, identificar as competências necessárias para a inovação sob a ótica do Design Thinking ajuda também na minimização dos obstáculos para a obtenção do sucesso de uma inovação. Dessa forma, o presente estudo buscou verificar a sustentação teórica do Design Thinking, desenvolvendo uma abordagem para operacionalização do Design Thinking, por meio de um jogo. Além disso, foi desenvolvido e aplicado um instrumento para avaliação das competências necessárias para inovar apoiado nas bases teóricas do Design Thinking, com grupos de estudantes ingressantes e concluintes dos cursos de Engenharia, Arquitetura e Design A partir dos objetivos estabelecidos nesse estudo, foi possível verificar que a estruturação de um jogo com a base teórica e operacional do Design Thinking ajuda a acelerar o processo de aprendizado, bem como para o desenvolvimento de novos produtos, serviços e processos. Além disso, identificou-se que o instrumento para avaliação de competências apontou que há diferenças entre grupos de estudantes, mas que nenhum deles apresentou o perfil desejado. Este instrumento pode ajudar no desenvolvimento dessas competências nesses alunos.

Submitted by Fernanda Rodrigues de Lima (fernanda.rlima@ufpe.br) on 2018-08-02T22:21:03Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO Marcela Araújo de Freitas Brito.pdf: 1204151 bytes, checksum: efc9fe3cbe0221b5e9d12fbeb1df3f80 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Alice Araujo (alice.caraujo@ufpe.br) on 2018-08-07T20:54:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO Marcela Araújo de Freitas Brito.pdf: 1204151 bytes, checksum: efc9fe3cbe0221b5e9d12fbeb1df3f80 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T20:54:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO Marcela Araújo de Freitas Brito.pdf: 1204151 bytes, checksum: efc9fe3cbe0221b5e9d12fbeb1df3f80 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-14 / Atualmente ficaram mais intensas as mudanças no sistema educacional. Em consequência a aprendizagem contínua tornou-se um instrumento de transformação e aumento de competitividade. Trabalhar em equipe é se permitir aprender, adequar, expandir e ser capaz de resolver em lugar de criar problemas. O presente trabalho pretende trazer esta discussão sobre a influência simultânea do design thinking e do coaching na relação ensino – aprendizagem em turmas de concluintes de graduação. A utilização dessas práticas são capazes de colocar em harmonia a praticabilidade, viabilidade e desejabilidade em âmbito universitário, ajudando, a eficiência na produção do trabalho de conclusão de curso, criando ambientes de auto reflexão e facilitando o movimento de pessoas na mudança em sair do estado atual para o lugar desejado. Elas enfatizam a importância da valorização do conhecimento e do reconhecimento para necessidade da aprendizagem contínua. O profissional que traz essas características se diferencia na identificação, na comunicação e nas possibilidades geradas em seus conteúdos. Pensando nisso as instituições de ensino superior começam a investir em seu corpo docente que preocupam-se em entender as influências e consequências da relação ensino-aprendizagem. Os alunos devem ser capazes de integrar as funções de negócios com as comportamentais, essa realidade mostra, aos discentes a importância da aprendizagem continuada, o olhar sistêmico e interdisciplinaridade através de abordagem teórica mais atualizada para características da sociedade moderna. / The changes in the educational system have become more intense. As a result, lifelong learning has become an instrument of transformation and increased competitiveness. Working in a team is allowing yourself to learn, adapt, expand and be able to solve rather than create problems. The present work intends to bring this discussion about the simultaneous influence of design thinking and coaching on the teaching - learning relationship in undergraduate classes. The use of these practices are able to bring into harmony the feasibility, feasibility and desirability in university scope, helping, the efficiency in the production of the work of conclusion of course, creating environments of self reflection and facilitating the movement of people in the change in leaving the state To the desired location. They emphasize the importance of valuing knowledge and recognizing the need for continuous learning. The professional that brings these characteristics differs in identification, communication and the possibilities generated in their contents. Thinking about this, higher education institutions are beginning to invest in their faculty who are concerned with understanding the influences and consequences of the teaching-learning relationship. Students should be able to integrate business functions with behavioral, this reality shows, to the students the importance of continued learning, systemic look and interdisciplinarity through more up-to-date theoretical approach to characteristics of modern society.

M.Comm.

The aim of this study was to suggest ways to effectively utilise Activity-Based Costing and Activity-Based Managment within Eskom Transmission Southern Grid to improve decision making towards improved business and financial performance. The ultimate purpose was to assist managers and staff to implement ABC and ABM effectively for improved business and financial performance. The focus was on the following objective: To suggest ways to effectively utilise ABC & ABM within Eskom Transmission Southern Grid as to improve decision making and business financial performance. Given the selection of management tools available, instruments such as ABC and ABM are usually not implemented alone, but may be supported by one or more approaches. For this reason ABC and ABM are contrasted with several other popular instruments mentioned in the literature. The instruments are: • The value chain; • Continuous improvement; • The theory of constraints; and • Total quality management. Insight will be given to provide managers with more accurate information regarding maintenance for the Grid and tools in identifying critical bottlenecks. By applying the TOC, TQM and continuous improvement strategies, managers will be able to make improved decisions, leading to improved financial performance in the Eskom Transmission Southern Grid. iii The literature study revealed that ABC and ABM prove to be the cornerstone for informed decision making. Since organisations are highly dependent on quality information to make these informed decisions, ABC and ABM reorientate the organisation towards understanding and managing work processes thus impacting financial performance positively. ABC and ABM trace the cost of activities such as engineering and procurement to how maintenance benefits from these activities. The empirical study consisted of a structured questionnaire distributed to a sample population of engineers and managers in Eskom Transmission Southern Grid in Port Elizabeth. It was aimed at gathering information about the use of ABC and ABM within the Grid. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with financial staff in the Grid and a focus group interview with engineering staff was done. The main findings of the empirical investigation revealed that management and staff lack insight into the use of ABC and ABM and how it can be integrated with existing improvement systems within the organisation. This study is concluded with a number of recommendations. These recommendations address the shortcomings and improvements that can be made to improve the utilisation of ABC and ABM within the organisation. The recommendations address the following: • Ensuring full commitment towards organisational goals and broadening the endorsement of ABC within the organisation; • Highlighting the importance of financial performance throughout the Grid; • Training of Managers, finance staff and engineers is required for proper execution of the ABC system; • Implementers need skills and know-how of the ABC and ABM system ensuring full utilisation; • The main cost drivers are identified, prioritised and efforts channelled into these activities; • Tools such as the Theory Of Constraints and Total Quality Management from the proposed model would assist the Grid in identifying the bottlenecks of a system correctly, thus know explicitly the amount of slack capacity of each activity available during a specific time period.

There is growing evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for the treatment of mental disorders in adults, but its efficacy with children has been queried due to the common assertion that children do not possess the cognitive abilities needed to engage in CBT. However, some argue that CBT must be adapted for children within a developmental framework. A study conducted by Doherr (2000) provided positive findings suggesting that children aged 5-8 years do possess cognitive abilities needed for CBT. The results also indicated that children who attended a school with innovative teaching methods demonstrated a greater degree of ability. Doherr (2000) proposed that such teaching methods might enhance children's cognitive abilities. The current research examined whether the findings from Doherr's (2000) study could be replicated in a sample of 75 children (aged 8-10 years) from two Middle Schools. The children were divided into three groups for the purpose of the present study: (1) previously received innovative teaching; (2) previously received conventional teaching and in class with children who have previously received innovative teaching; and (3) previously received conventional teaching and not in class with children who have previously received innovative teaching. Degree of ability was examined using a cognitive behaviour therapy ability (CBTA) measure (Doherr, 2000). The results indicated that those who had received innovative teaching did not maintain theenhanced ability. In addition, no significant difference of ability between ages was found. The findings were discussed with reference to their implications in terms of theoretical, clinical and educational issues. One of the main issues discussed is whether the continuation of the innovative teaching methods would maintain enhanced ability and thus perhaps serve as a protective factor in the development of childhood psychological disorders. Some further research ideas are proposed

Demonstrative geometry as a subject in secondary schools has been justified by many educational leaders on the basis that the critical thinking ability acquired in this subject would transfer to situations outside of mathematics. However, many of the research studies in this area indicate that very little of this critical thinking ability acquired in the usual course in demonstrative geometry transfers to life situations. The usual course in demonstrative geometry employs a text which includes as a very important type of exercise, problems in which the pupil is supplied with data either given or assumed and told precisely what conclusions he must derive from these data. That is, the pupil knows the conclusion before he attempts to solve the problem. This particular method of presentation is thought by some educational leaders to deprive the student of a very important learning process, namely, that of discovery. This study is an attempt to determine what the effect on critical thinking ability would be, if the students were not told precisely what conclusion they must derive, but were exposed to exercises in which there were many alternative conclusions of which some may or may not be valid with respect to the given or assumed data. That is, the onus for determining which alternative (if any) was valid, was the responsibility of the student. Two groups consisting of thirty pupils each at the grade ten level on the University Entrance Program were equated on the basis of the control variables of intelligence as determined by the "Otis Quick-Scoring Mental Ability Tests" and critical thinking as measured by the "Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal" test Form A. The control group followed the usual course in geometry in which the students were supplied with exercises in which they were told precisely what conclusions they must derive. The experimental group, however, were exposed to exercises in which it was the responsibility of the pupil to determine which (if any) of the many possible conclusions supplied could be proven valid in terms of the data given. This experiment was conducted for two months, after which Form B of the "Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal" test was given. As the groups were equated at the beginning of the study by the control variables, differences in means between the control and experimental group on this test were investigated for significance by means of "t" tests. Each of the paired groups was sub-divided into three sub-groups of ten each and classified as "superior", "average", and "inferior" on the basis of scores on the control variables. The analysis of the data from this study indicates that students of "superior", "average", and "inferior" ability who were exposed to the experimental type of exercise did not show larger gains in critical thinking than those who followed exercises outlined in a traditional text. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

Large Scale Assessments (LSAs) of student achievement in education serve a variety of purposes, such as comparing educational programs, providing accountability measures, and assessing achievement on a broad range of curriculum standards. In addition to measuring content-related processes such as mathematics or reading, LSAs also focus on thinking-related skills such as lower level thinking (e.g., understanding concepts) and problem solving. The purpose of the current study was to deconstruct and clarify the mechanisms that make up an LSA, including thinking skills and assessment perspectives, from a validation approach based on the work by Messick (1995) and Kane (1990). Therefore, when examining the design and student data of two LSAs in reading, (a) what common thinking skills are assessed? and (b) what are the LSAs’ underlying assessment perspectives? Content analyses were carried out on two LSAs that purported to assess thinking skills in reading: the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) and the Educational Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). As the two LSAs evaluated reading, the link between reading and thinking was also addressed. Conceptual models were developed and used to examine the assessment framework, test booklets, and scoring guide of the two assessments. In addition, a nonlinear factor analysis was conducted on the EQAO item-level data from the test booklets to examine the dimensionality of the LSA. The most prominent thinking skill referenced after qualitatively analyzing the assessment frameworks, test booklets, and scoring guides was critical thinking, while results from the quantitative analysis revealed that two factors best represented the item-level EQAO data. Overall, the tools provided in the current study can help inform both researchers and practitioners about the interaction between the assessment approach and related thinking skills.

How can an experiment which occurs only in thought lead to new and accurate conclusions about the world beyond thought? What makes thought experiments relevant to the domains they are designed to explore? One answer is that successful thought experiments are grounded. Explaining the nature of this grounding relationship, especially as it applies to ethics, is the main task of this dissertation. A thought experiment is an experiment that occurs in thought. The "thought" label distinguishes it from an ordinary physical experiment, while the "experiment" label distinguishes it from other types of merely analogical, conjectural, or hypothetical reasoning. Many of the components that are necessary for a successful physical experiment are also necessary for a successful thought experiment. A thought experiment, like a physical experiment, must isolate and vary variables in order to answer a question within a given theoretical context. The result of the experiment has repercussions for its theoretical context. The grounding relationship holds between the components of the thought experiment and the theoretical context of the thought experiment. In order for the thought experiment to be successful, both the experimental set-up and our responses to it need to be grounded in the thought experiment's theoretical context. An experimental set-up will be grounded whenever it meets the following conditions. The concepts used must be defined normally, dependent and independent variables must be isolated and relevantly related, and the propositions of the thought experiment (excepting those describing extraneous particulars) must be relevantly related to the given theoretical context and the question under examination. Grounding responses to thought experiments will then be largely a matter of anticipating and disarming distorting influences. Factors influencing responses include the individual's knowledge of the theoretical context, the state of development of that context, the nature of the presentation of the thought experiment, and subjective filters. It is sometimes difficult to ascertain whether a thought experiment in ethics is grounded. This is largely due to the nature of the theoretical context of thought experiments in ethics. In order to assess the relationship of thought experiments in ethics to their theoretical context, I advocate employing a contextualist methodology involving the process of wide reflective equilibrium. While contextualists use this approach to arrive at considered judgements relating to specific ethical problems, I show that wide reflective equilibrium can also be used to examine the grounding of thought experiments. I conclude the dissertation with an examination of the relationship of thought experiments to computer simulations, a study of various common thought experiment distortions, and some tests and methods designed to aid constructing successful thought experiments. / Arts, Faculty of / Philosophy, Department of / Graduate