This study sets out to answer the call for explicit instruction in critical thinking for ELL. Using action research and qualitative methodology, I examine the effect of implementing the cognitive apprenticeship paradigm with ELL studying in a mainstream secondary English class using the American curriculum. I center instruction on authentic texts and scaffold critical literacy and thinking tasks for instructional interventions. The data generated by the study includes written responses and reflections by the participants. This data is analyzed using research into cognitive theory and critical thinking pedagogy. The results support the cognitive apprenticehip model as one means for improving the higher literacy of ELL, regardless of level and background. The findings of this study contribute to the discussion of how to bridge the achievement gap between ELL and their native speaking peers and provide an avenue to advance their academic success. / English Studies / M.A. (with specialisation in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other languages))

The Basic Concepts Mediated Learning Programme (BCMLP) was developed to enhance the cognitive and scholastic functioning of learners who experience barriers to learning in the early years of schooling in the South African context. The study aimed to initiate a process of evaluation of the efficacy of this metacognitive programme with Grade 2 learners from the &lsquo / Cape Flats&rsquo / , an historically disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The study was conducted simultaneously in two local education authorities by independent teams of fieldworkers in each of the education authorities. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent comparison group design study was implemented with learners who were equally assigned to an Experimental group (N=54) or Comparison group (N=55). English home-language and Bilingual (English and Afrikaans) learners made up a majority of the study sample. The study was conducted in English.<br /> <br /> Extensive pre-test and post-test batteries consisting of cognitive (information-processing), cognitive modifiability (dynamic assessment), and scholastic tests were used to collect data. A number of structured interview schedules including post-intervention teacher rating scales were also used for the purpose of data gathering. The results from the parametric and non-parametric methods of data analysis selected, revealed a pattern of significant pre- to post-study cognitive and scholastic gains in scores for learners in both the Experimental and Comparison groups (p&lt / 0.05). In addition, it was found that the study participants, irrespective of their designation to the Experimental or Comparison group became more modifiable and demonstrated enhanced information-processing abilities at the end of the study. Significantly greater gains were, however, attained by learners in the Experimental group in a majority of the areas assessed (7 out of 12) (p&lt / 0.05). Learners in the Experimental group were also found to be more responsive to instruction and modifiable than learners in the Comparison group.<br /> <br /> Learners who participated in the BCMLP were found to benefit with respect to their knowledge of basic concepts, cognitive and scholastic functioning. However, it was not possible to infer from the current study that findings were attributable to any one specific procedure (mediational teaching, concept teaching, vocabulary teaching and teaching to enhance information-processing) or process (Basic Concept Teaching Model) of this metacognitive programme. Furthermore, the study had a number of limitations and findings should be regarded with some caution until replication studies can be completed and the long-term effects of the study can be evaluated.<br /> <br /> The study provides some evidence for the efficacy of short-term, small group intervention programmes implemented by Learning Support Teachers within disadvantaged communities. The study also provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of the BCMLP (a specially designed metacognitive programme). The BCMLP was found to be both appropriate and manageable for Learning Support Teachers to implement in the South African context.

La créativité est considérée comme une compétence cruciale pour le monde contemporain. La recherche décrite dans cette thèse a eu comme contexte principal le projet MC Squared. Réalisé entre octobre 2013 et septembre 2016. L'objectif du projet était de développer une plate-forme numérique pour le développement de C-books destinés à l'enseignement des mathématiques de manière à développer la pensée mathématique créative chez les étudiants et les auteurs. Cette thèse propose une analyse de la conception, du développement, de la mise en oeuvre et du test des activités numériques et non numériques dans le but d'améliorer et d'encourager la pensée mathématique créative ayant des fonctions et des algorithmes comme objets mathématiques à analyser. Les questions de recherche suivantes ont été soulevées à partir du problème: -Comment opérationnaliser et réviser les définitions existantes de la pensée mathématique créative? -Quels sont les composants nécessaires d'une situation ou d'un artefact permettant un processus de pensée mathématique créative? -Comment pouvons-nous évaluer l'avancement d'un processus impliquant la pensée mathématique créative?-Le modèle "Diamant de la créativité" est-il un outil d'analyse utile pour cartographier le cheminement du processus créatif? Pour répondre à ces questions, la recherche a suivi une méthodologie basée sur une recherche agile basée sur le design. Quatre activités ont été développées de manière cyclique. Le premier, appelé Function Hero, est un jeu numérique qui utilise les mouvements du corps du joueur pour évaluer la capacité de reconnaissance des fonctions. Trois autres activités appelées Binary Code, Fake Binary Code et Op'Art, visant au développement de la pensée computationnelle. Le modèle principal de cette thèse est le modèle "Diamond de créativité" pour cartographier le processus de résolution des problèmes rencontrés dans chaque activité, en évaluant le processus et les produits dérivés du travail des étudiants.Pour valider les hypothèses de recherche, nous avons collecté des données pour chaque activité et les avons analysées quantitativement et qualitativement. Les résultats montrent que les activités développées ont éveillé et engagé les étudiants dans la résolution de problèmes et que le modèle "Diamond of Creativity" peut aider à identifier et à identifier des points spécifiques du processus de création / Creativity is considered as a crucial skill for the contemporary world. The research described in this thesis had the Project MC Squared as the main context. Carried out between October 2013 and September 2016. The objective of the project was to develop a digital platform for the development of C-books for teaching mathematics in a way that develops Creative Mathematical Thinking both in the students and the authors. This thesis, entitled: Didactic Situations for the Development of Creative Mathematical Thinking proposes an analysis of the design, development, implementation, and testing of digital and non-digital activities with the aim of improving and fostering Creative Mathematical Thinking having Functions and Algorithms as mathematical objects to analyze. The following research questions raised from the problem: • How to operationalize and revise existing definitions of Creative Mathematical Thinking? • How can we assess the progress of a process involving Creative Mathematical Thinking? • How the "Diamond of Creativity" model is an useful analytic tool to map the Creative Process path? To answer such questions, the research followed a methodology based on an agile Design-Based Research. Four activities were cyclically developed. The first one, called: "Function Hero," is a digital game that uses body movements of the player to evaluate recognizability of functions. Three other activities called "Binary Code," "FakeBinary Code" and "Op’Art", aimed at the development of Computational Thinking. The main constructs of this thesis are: (a) the "Diamond of Creativity" model to map the process of solving problems found in each activity, evaluating the process and the products derived from the students’ work. (b) The digital game: "Function Hero". To validate the research hypotheses, we collected data from each activity and analyzed them quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that developed activities have awakened and engaged students into problem-solving and that the "Diamond of Creativity" model can help in identifying and labeling specific points in the creative process

The Basic Concepts Mediated Learning Programme (BCMLP) was developed to enhance the cognitive and scholastic functioning of learners who experience barriers to learning in the early years of schooling in the South African context. The study aimed to initiate a process of evaluation of the efficacy of this metacognitive programme with Grade 2 learners from the &lsquo / Cape Flats&rsquo / , an historically disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The study was conducted simultaneously in two local education authorities by independent teams of fieldworkers in each of the education authorities. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent comparison group design study was implemented with learners who were equally assigned to an Experimental group (N=54) or Comparison group (N=55). English home-language and Bilingual (English and Afrikaans) learners made up a majority of the study sample. The study was conducted in English.<br /> <br /> Extensive pre-test and post-test batteries consisting of cognitive (information-processing), cognitive modifiability (dynamic assessment), and scholastic tests were used to collect data. A number of structured interview schedules including post-intervention teacher rating scales were also used for the purpose of data gathering. The results from the parametric and non-parametric methods of data analysis selected, revealed a pattern of significant pre- to post-study cognitive and scholastic gains in scores for learners in both the Experimental and Comparison groups (p&lt / 0.05). In addition, it was found that the study participants, irrespective of their designation to the Experimental or Comparison group became more modifiable and demonstrated enhanced information-processing abilities at the end of the study. Significantly greater gains were, however, attained by learners in the Experimental group in a majority of the areas assessed (7 out of 12) (p&lt / 0.05). Learners in the Experimental group were also found to be more responsive to instruction and modifiable than learners in the Comparison group.<br /> <br /> Learners who participated in the BCMLP were found to benefit with respect to their knowledge of basic concepts, cognitive and scholastic functioning. However, it was not possible to infer from the current study that findings were attributable to any one specific procedure (mediational teaching, concept teaching, vocabulary teaching and teaching to enhance information-processing) or process (Basic Concept Teaching Model) of this metacognitive programme. Furthermore, the study had a number of limitations and findings should be regarded with some caution until replication studies can be completed and the long-term effects of the study can be evaluated.<br /> <br /> The study provides some evidence for the efficacy of short-term, small group intervention programmes implemented by Learning Support Teachers within disadvantaged communities. The study also provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of the BCMLP (a specially designed metacognitive programme). The BCMLP was found to be both appropriate and manageable for Learning Support Teachers to implement in the South African context.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree: Master in Education Faculty of Education Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / The change in focus of the curriculum policy statements since 1996 have caused many teachers to feel abandoned and helpless in their pursuit of the objectives of the new curriculum. One of the issues that leads to this feeling of abandonment is that of critical thinking. A stated objective of the new curriculum is that learners must be able to engage critically with their environment. However, leading learners to be able to do this seems to be lacking. Classroom practice currently, does not address this adequately and in many cases, the ability and capacity to nurture a critical thinking classroom environment is absent. The teachers who participated in this study recognised that in order for them to be more successful in terms of the curriculum objectives, critical thinking as a core competency had to be developed as a strategic imperative. They also recognised that viewing the child in their class in isolation from their environment is fatally flawed. The child after all is a product of his/her environment. It is for this reason, that this study used the Productive Pedagogies as a basis for the research. This approach was selected because of its comprehensive quality in terms of viewing the development of the child holistically. The ability of the child to connect to his environment is dependent on the capacity of the school as a forum to draw all of the threads together and then to make meaning. The teachers on their own would not be able to do this without the help of their institutions. The development of critical thinking must be recognised at the level of management as a key classroom strategy that must be managed and supported. This would imply that important curriculum discussions and decisions must be based on how the teaching of these skills will be affected. The significance of critical thinking and the weak systemic evaluation results prompted this study to investigate whether the teaching of critical thinking skills is part of everyday classroom practice. The instrument of the Productive Pedagogies for classroom observations was used to obtain quantitative information. Interviews with the educators were also conducted to add to the qualitative data.

Submitted by Marcia Silva (marcia@latec.uff.br) on 2015-11-04T16:35:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert AdrianoCaulliraux.pdf: 3282267 bytes, checksum: 62cde70726f060c3affc026ed61adb5f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-04T16:35:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert AdrianoCaulliraux.pdf: 3282267 bytes, checksum: 62cde70726f060c3affc026ed61adb5f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-05-30 / Independente da complexidade do diagnóstico, a necessidade de realizar um procedimento cirúrgico é um fator altamente estressor. Apesar dos medos, anseios, e outros problemas relacionados ao processo perioperatório, não existem estudos que abordem a humanização em sua totalidade. A pesquisa em questão propôs um método com base no Design Thinking para estudar o fluxo perioperatório do paciente eletivo e desenvolver propostas para a humanização do mesmo. Foram realizadas 20 entrevistas com ex-pacientes cirúrgicos, 20 entrevistas com profissionais de saúde envolvidos no perioperatório, 50 horas de observação padronizada em 2 centros cirúrgicos, visitas a 2 hospitais que prestam serviços perioperatórios, revisão da literatura nacional e internacional relacionada, além de momentos de prototipagem e cocriação com os colaboradores envolvidos. Diversos protótipos foram criados, testados e refinados in loco, possibilitando a compreensão das necessidades dos pacientes nos níveis físico, emocional e cognitivo, ao longo das 16 etapas do perioperatório. Com base nas necessidades mapeadas foram propostas 28 diretrizes para humanização do perioperatório, e então realizado um exercício narrativo acerca do fluxo humanizado. Conclui-se que o método foi adequado para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, visto que as diversas fontes de investigação utilizadas possibilitaram a compreensão holística do fenômeno e a proposição de soluções alinhadas com o cenário atual da área da Saúde. / No matter how complex the diagnosis is, the need to undergo a surgery is stressful. Besides the fear, the anxiety and other feelings related to the perioperative process, there are no studies which totally approach its humanization. This research proposes a method based on Design Thinking to study the perioperatory flow of the elective patient and it also develops proposals to humanize such a process. Twenty interviews were made with former patients, twenty interviews were made with professionals in the health field involved in the perioperative process, fifty hours of pattern observation in two surgery centers were conducted, two hospitals which offer preoperative services were visited, and a review of the national and international literature related to the topic was conducted. In addition, there were prototypes and co-creation moments with the involved cooperators. Various prototypes were created, tested and refined in loco. Thus, it enhanced understanding of patients’ needs in the physical, emotional and cognitive level during sixteen steps of the perioperative process. Based on the needs identified, twenty-eight guidelines for the humanization of the perioperative process were proposed and then, a narrative exercise about the humanized flow was done. In conclusion, the method can be said adequate for the development of the research since various sources of investigation were used allowing a holistic comprehension of the phenomenon and a proposal of solutions aligned with the current Health scenery.

Magister Educationis - MEd / In this study I researched the effectiveness of a ‘Thinking Schools’ initiative at a local primary school between April 2010 and September 2011. I looked at how the school began the journey, what has changed in the school, the contextual factors that have influenced the process and what has sustained the school’s progress. As background to the study I discuss the importance and relevance of learned intelligence as explained by Vygotsky, thinking skills and cognitive education, and the whole school approach as opposed to individual teacher initiatives, as introduced by Burden in the United Kingdom. A local adaptation of Lipman’s ‘Philosophy for Children’ was the focus of this study, as it was chosen by the school as the starting point on their road to becoming a Thinking School. A qualitative research approach was used, using a constructivist paradigm and case study methodology, following the guidelines established by Stake (1995) and Yin (2003). The participants included the principal, together with selected teachers and learners and a curriculum advisor. Data collection took the form of interviews and a rating scale. The study found positive changes in teacher and learner thinking, supported by the ethos and stability of the school environment. The major challenge was that not all stakeholders were involved.

This thesis deals with the critical systems thinking (CST) and its necessity and usability within a commercial company. Critical systems thinking is defined and explained from different perspectives, first as a specific way of approaching a problem, but as a tool for problem solving as well. The thesis also details the specific skills of critical systems thinking and systems archetypes and identifies some interrelations between CST and a specific commercial company with its needs. The practical part is focused on the process of solving specific problems using critical systems thinking, it also discusses the benefits and limitations and evaluates the overall necessity of CST for a commercial company.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The purpose of this is to investigate how teachers go about for the development of Creative Thinking Skills (CTS) in a grade 9 technology classroom. The introduction of technology in the South African curriculum by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to develop CTS through the Design Process (DP) as the cornerstone of the learning area. Technology as a learning area should provide learners with opportunities to solve real-life problems, in the process developing their CTS (DBE, 2011). In the 21st century, CTS have been seen as skills that are crucial across the spectrum of day to day activities. However; it appears to be very complex for technology teachers to enhance the teaching and learning of CTS in a technology classroom. The literature suggests that technology teachers tend to suppress the development of learners’ CTS by limiting the process of teaching and learning to low order thinking cognitive levels rather than high order cognitive levels. This study employed a qualitative research enquiry, purposive sampling was used for the selection of the relevant participants. Qualified technology teachers who teach grade 9 technology with at least three years’ experience in teaching technology were considered. Data collection was obtained through interviews, observation and document analysis. The research finding showed that teachers lack the understanding of policies, particularly CAPS hence they continuously compromise its implementation hindering with the development of CTS of learners as it is envisaged in the CAPS document. Furthermore, the research findings reveal that the teacher has a little or no understanding of what is creative thinking (CT) and what it entails, hence they did not unpack what is it exactly that they do to support the development of learners CTS in a technology classroom This study recommends that technology teachers be familiar with the CAPS document and implement it correctly without any compromise. Furthermore; understanding of the design process is of vital importance to teachers as it is the cornerstone of teaching and learning, particularly the development of CTS of learners. Technology teachers need also to have a clear understanding of what CT is and what it entails, that will assist to arouse their CT and help to develop the CTS of learners in a technology classroom.

Abstract. In the worldview of a traditionally Eastern cultural context, consciousness and matter are intertwined.  In that context  negative and positive spaces relate to each other. With that in mind, the vessel is an interesting object to work with. In my master work I explore "Thinking- through- making", a process where making and thinking alternate back and forth, in iterations. The making or designing can be taking place intuitively.  Scaling down the vessel, to the point where it has no contemporary practical function,  as a way of talking about the exercise of sensitivity, in a fast, loud and insatiable present. Questioning the prevailing value system. By re:learning to become more sensitive, empathy for different types of existence becomes possible, and togetherness between human beings and their companion species opens up. By making (diminutive) stoneware vessels, I enter a long tradition of the time-consuming, hand-building technique of Yixing clay. And hence, contrasts with the technology and scale of contemporary mass production.  Perhaps my vessels are pots to plant seeds for the hope of a future human existence? Or, maybe they are vessels for tears, over human existence? At least they are parts of bedrock coming back together from dissolution, for union.