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Design thinking and decision-making during the design process have been found to be hierarchical, representing a general pattern in which designers consider various types of intentions while conceptualising their particular design idea (Haupt, 2018; Vermaas, 2009). Hierarchical thinking can be observed through the investigation of thought development as evidenced in designers’ external representation strategies. The current CAPS document for the subject Engineering Graphics and Design seems to neglect the preliminary design phase of the design process and the connection with hierarchical thinking and idea transformation. As such, research is required to trace novice designers’ thinking processes and the transformation of their ideas. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe how novice designers’ hierarchical thinking processes support the transformation of ideas during preliminary design. In order to study the hierarchical thinking and idea transformation of designers, I adopted Extended Design Cognition and hierarchical thinking theories as the conceptual framework in this study. A mixed methods design was employed, embedded in a Critical Realist approach. Four third-year Industrial Design student participants from a local University of Technology in Gauteng were purposefully sampled. Verbal and visual data (sketches, 3D models, physical artefacts and gestures) were generated and documented by means of an in-vivo methodology and analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by means of ATLAS.ti. This study found that novice designers’ consideration of particular abstract aspectual intentions guided the way in which they generated and transformed their ideas. This study also found that they experienced a need to find a fit between their functional intentions and physical elements, allowing them to make both lateral and vertical transformations. This study contributes to the knowledge base on novice designers’ design cognition, specifically in terms of designers’ hierarchical thinking and idea transformation. To this end, this study provides pedagogical guidelines for current and future EGD teachers. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

The problem of this study was to determine the effectiveness of student-centered teaching in producing significant changes in certain critical thinking abilities among selected freshmen students at North Texas State College.

To determine the relationship between computer intensive classwork and change in critical thinking skills exhibited by college students, the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, which generates Inference, Assumptions, Deduction, Interpretation, Arguments, and Total scores, was administered as pretest and post-test to students enrolled in four sections of a freshman level writing class at a community college, where two sections each were taught by computer intensive (computer) and traditional (non-computer) methods. Students completed a Demographic Questionnaire regarding previous computer experience, gender, and ethnicity. Where available, reading skills information was obtained from college records.

The major purpose of this study was to determine if pre-clinical medical school course examinations reflect critical thinking skills. The entire second year class from a medical school in the southwest made up the population. Student examination results from the first two years as well as scores on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal were used in this study.

Idag kan iakttas att tillit ses vara på modet. Att leda med tillit förstås däremot i praktiken inte vara så enkelt, då teori och praktik inte verkar stämma överens. En undran som väcks är därför hur man kan få det tillitsbaserade ledarskapet att fästa och inte rinna av likt en teflontäckt yta?  Vi kan se det likt ett tvåkomponentslim, där det tillitsbaserade ledarskapet ses som bas och behöver kompletteras med en härdare för att kunna fästa hos dagens ledare och organisationer. I denna studie prövas om design thinking kan tänkas agera härdare då det är ett koncept som möjliggör förändring och kan fungera som något vilken hjälper att gå från teori till praktik. Dessutom sett till basen tillitsbaserat ledarskap ses en önskan delas kring uppfyllelse och integrering av en kultur speglad av tillit där samskapande möjliggör innovation. Syftet med integreringen av design thinking som härdare är för att se till om en sådan interdiskursiv blandning kan utmynna i ett fästande tvåkomponentslim.  Denna nya interdiskursiva blandning ses skapa ett fungerande lim och utgör därmed studiens teoretiska bidrag. Samtidigt ökas förståelsen kring hur ledning med tillit kan te sig och faller således ut i ett praktiskt bidrag. Härmed är du nu inbjuden att tillsammans med oss nyfiket röra oss på en alternativ väg, att managera i modern tid. / Today it can be observed that trust seems to be trendy. On the other hand, to lead with trust seems more easier in theory than it is in practice. A wonder is thereby awakened about how one can get the trust-based leadership to stick and not drain off like a teflon-covered surface?  We imagine it like a two-component adhesive, where the trust-based leadership is seen as a base which needs to be supplemented with a hardener in order to be able to stick among today's managers and organizations. In this study it is examined if design thinking can function as the hardener, due to it being a concept which enables change and bridges theory with practice. In addition, looking at trust-based leadership as the base, it consists of a strive that partly is about fulfillment and integration of a culture mirrored by trust where co-creation enables innovation. The aim with the integration of design thinking as a hardener, is to see if an interdiscursive blend can fall out in a sticky two-component adhesive.  This new interdiscursive blend can be seen as a creation of a functional glue which thereby constitutes this study's theoretical contribution. Meanwhile the understanding about how to lead with trust can be formed, which falls out in the study’s practical contribution. Hereby you are now invited together with us to curiously move on an alternative way, to manage in modern time.

Background: The high degree of digitalization in today's society allows for the possibility totrack material and equipment on construction sites, offering a deeper understanding andpotentially optimizing their efficiency. With the help of tracking, one can optimize the usewhile also make demands on suppliers on the type of material and equipment you as acustomer want and be able to control, this in a fast and safe way. At present, there is notracking solution for dirt that allows companies and individuals to control how the handlingtakes place and where the dirt originally comes from. This creates problems as it ischallenging to analyze and optimize the use of dirt due to the fact that it is not possible totrack digitally, and one do not get the same understanding of how dirt is handled. The marketthereby demands a solution that allows tracking of dirt in as fast, easy, and safe way.  Purpose: To understand who users and stakeholders are and to develop a solution that helpsusers and stakeholders to track, store, send and receive data and dirt of interest. This is tosimplify the tracking of relevant dirt and data while also improving the efficiency ofcompanies in terms of data flow and create security and reliability between users andstakeholders when it comes to buying, transporting, and selling dirt Method: The research method used in this thesis is based on Blessing and Chakrabarti'sDesign Research Method (DRM) while the main solution method is based on DesignThinking from the ME310 course at Stanford University.  Result: The result presents a solution that allows tracking of dirt on and off construction sitesand other relevant areas that suiting the users which are considered to be individuals andcompanies primarily connected to the sale, purchase and transportation of dirt. The solutionfacilitates tracking while minimizing paperwork as the solution offers to save all data in oneplace that everyone connected to the dirt can take part in. This means that the solution isuniversal and can be used between companies, while authorities and customers can accessinformation to check that companies that handle dirt follow the laws, rules, and requirementsplaced on them. Conclusions: This thesis proves the possibility for the development and use of a system totrack dirt and its properties in a fast, simple, and safe way while facilitating for the userregarding paperwork and optimization of how work should be. This in combination with thecompanies transparency and traceability increases, which means that customers andauthorities can take greater responsibility in ensuring that companies comply with the rules,laws, and requirements imposed on them. / Bakgrund: I dagens digitala samhälle så har spårning av material och utrustning, inte minstpå byggarbetsplatser, blivit till stor nytta då man kan få en bättre förståelse över hur materialoch utrustning ska användas på ett så effektivt sätt som möjligt. Man kan med hjälp avspårning optimera användningen medans man även kan ställa krav på leverantörer på vilkentyp av material och utrusningen man som kund vill ha och kunna kontrollera detta på ettsnabbt och säkert sätt. I dagsläget finns det inte en spårningslösning för dirt som tillåter attföretag och privatpersoner kan kontroller hur hanteringen sker och var dirt ursprungligenkommer ifrån. Detta skapar problem då det är svårt att analysera och optimera användningenav dirt på grund av att det inte går att spåra digitalt och man får inte samma förståelse för hurdirt hanteras. Marknaden efterfrågar därmed en lösning som tillåter spårning av dirt på ett såsnabbt, lätt och säkert sätt som möjligt.  Syfte: Förstå vem som är användare samt intressenter och att utveckla en lösning som hjälperanvändare och intressenter att spåra, lagra, skicka och ta emot data om dirt av intresse. Dettaför att förenkla spårning av relevant dirt samt data och samtidigt förbättra effektiviteten hosföretag när det gäller dataflöde och skapa säkerhet och tillförlitlighet mellan användare ochintressenter när det gäller att köpa, transportera och sälja dirt.  Metod: Forskningsmetoden som använts i detta arbete är baserad på Blessing ochChakrabartis Design Research Metod (DRM) samtidigt som den huvudsakligalösningsmetoden är baserad på Design Thinking från kursen ME310 på Stanford University. Resultat: Resultatet presenterar en lösning som tillåter spårning av dirt på och utanförbyggarbetsplatser och andra relevanta områden som passar användaren som anses varpersoner och företag främst kopplade till försäljning, köp och transport av dirt. Lösningenunderlättar spåningen samtidigt som den minimerar pappersarbete då lösningen erbjuder attspara all data på ett ställe som alla som är kopplade till dirt kan ta del av. Detta medför attlösningen är universal och kan användas mellan företag medans myndigheter och kunder kanta del av information för att kontroller att företag som hanterar dirt följer dem lagar, regleroch krav som ställs på dem.  Slutsatser: Detta arbete visar på att det går att utveckla och använda system för att spåra dirtoch dess egenskaper på ett snabbt, enkel och säkert sätt samtidigt som man underlättar föranvändaren gällande pappersarbete och optimering av hur arbete bör utföras. Detta ikombination med att företagens transparens och spårbarhet ökar vilket medför att kunder ochmyndigheter kan ta ett större ansvar i att kontroller att företag följer dem regler, lagar ochkrav som ställs på dem.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe how technology teachers foster a positive disposition towards Critical Thinking (CT) in their learners. One of the general aims listed in the South African National Curriculum Statement (NCS) specifically calls for the use of CT to enhance learners’ ability to identify and solve problems. In the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for technology, CT is required to successfully solve problems during the design process. The design process, which is central to technology, thus offers many opportunities to nurture CT should teachers be willing to exploit them. CT consists of two components, namely, CT skills and CT dispositions. CT skills refer to the cognitive abilities of a person, while CT dispositions are concerned with an individual’s internal motivation to think critically. A fair amount of research regarding CT focuses on CT skills. The limited research available on CT dispositions reports mostly on its definition, classification, and assessment. The paucity of literature on CT dispositions suggest that teachers cannot draw from existing literature to inform their practice regarding the ways in which one could foster a willingness to think critically. This study, therefore, aimed to improve our understanding of the strategies used by technology teachers to promote CT disposition. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Facione’s (2011) seven dispositions towards CT, and was augmented by a description of the design process in technology education. The premise for using this framework is based on the assumption that if an individual is positively disposed towards CT, they will be inclined to critically solve the problems encountered during the design process in technology. The design process further presents the opportunity to nurture CT dispositions. This study engaged in a qualitative research approach and a multiple case study design to investigate how technology teachers foster CT dispositions in their learners. To this end, 10 senior phase technology teachers were purposefully selected and interviewed. The interviews comprised open-ended questions about each disposition to gain an in-depth understanding of the strategies that teachers use in their classroom. Five of these teachers were then observed for one design-based lesson to explore how these strategies are actualised in the technology classroom. The analysis of the interview data indicated that the participants used a variety of strategies to foster all the CT dispositions. These strategies were also noted during the observations, with no new strategies being revealed. The strategies included the use of assessments, discussions, the classroom environment, examples, feedback, modelling, questioning and resources. It was found that the participants used four main strategies as initial actions that acted as a platform for, or led to the use of supporting strategies to foster all of the CT dispositions. Through this study, some strategies that were identified in the literature regarding the nurturing of CT, its skills and dispositions were confirmed. Other strategies were identified as relating to the principles for teaching CT dispositions, while two strategies were recognised that were not mentioned in the literature. It is recommended that further research be conducted on the effectiveness of these strategies, learners’ experience of the strategies, and that longer periods of observation be done to include the facilitation of the entire design process. The research on CT dispositions up until this point has not suggested or described explicit strategies to specifically foster the dispositional component of CT. The findings and conclusions of this study are also not considered as the final answer to this paucity of literature, it does, however, pose as a departure point for further investigation and development. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria 2020. / pt2021 / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

The South African Department of Basic Education (2011) has articulated the need for learners to think critically. The development of critical thinking skills has therefore been explicitly included in various education policies, such as the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12. Technology, a relatively new subject in South African schools, provides many opportunities to foster critical thinking skills through, for example, problem solving. Technology offers a wide spectrum of problems – ranging from well-structured to illstructured problems. Well-structured problems are constrained problems with convergent solutions and are the most commonly found problems in schools and universities, but ill-structured problems have multiple possible solutions and solutions paths, which often lead to uncertainty about, for example, the concepts, rules, and principles required to solve the problem. This is particularly true with regard to teaching technology, where there is the added complexity resultant from the designing of solutions (artefacts) to ill-structured problems. This calls for teachers with certain habits of mind, who will be able to nurture a positive disposition toward critical thinking in learners. Facione (2000) points out that engendering the desire to use critical thinking as a means of problem solving prepares the ground for teaching and learning critical thinking skills. Teachers, however, must be willing to use these opportunities to cultivate critical thinking skills in the classroom. While much research has been done on Critical Thinking skills, there is a paucity of literature about teachers’ disposition toward Critical Thinking. This study sought to investigate technology teachers’ disposition toward critical thinking with reference to their habits of mind. Profiling technology teachers’ disposition toward critical thinking can enhance our understanding of the extent to which they are positively or negatively disposed toward critical thinking (CT) in terms of their habits of mind. Such understanding can inform, inter alia, teacher training and curricula in order to reciprocally enhance critical thinking skills and the required habits of mind needed to teach technology The study used a survey design to investigate South African Technology teachers’ disposition toward CT. Grades 8, and 9 technology teachers were targeted; they were invited via an email to participate in the study in which standard ethical protocols were followed. A link in the email directed the participants to an online survey collecting data with 42 statements. Participants were asked to rate their level of agreement with each statement on a six-point scale. The statements were derived from the seven habits of mind as identified by Facione. These are: Self-confidence, Inquisitiveness, Systematicity, Analyticity, Truth-seeking, Open-mindedness and Maturity of Judgment. Half of the statements were formulated to express a clearly favourable disposition toward CT, while the other half were framed to be clearly unfavourable. The frequency of responses in terms of each scale for each statement was counted in order to reveal trends regarding their habits of mind. The research findings reveal that this sample seems to be positively disposed toward CT. The habits of mind that recorded the highest scores were Self-confidence, Inquisitiveness, and Systematicity. The habits of mind that recorded the lowest scores were Open-mindedness and Maturity of Judgment. Females outperformed males in four of the seven habits of mind. Male and female participants scored an equal balance percentage toward Self-confidence and male participants outperformed females in Truth-seeking and Analyticity. Further research is needed to investigate how the disposition and practice of technology teachers encourage critical thinking skills in the classroom. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria 2019. / pt2021 / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

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