<p>  </p> <p>Radian angle measure is central to learning trigonometry, with researchers providing evidence that a coherent understanding of radian contributes to a coherent understanding of trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions. However, there are few opportunities for students to engage with curricular situations that involve radian angle measure. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore and provide insights into preservice mathematics teachers’ (PMTs’) conceptions of radian angle measure using three curricular situations. The first chapter reviews the relevant literature, which reported that PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure involve angles measured in terms of π, in relation to degrees, and in relation to the unit circle. In chapter two, I explored PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure using textbook representations. Seven PMTs participated in a think-aloud semi-structured interviews, where they defined radian angle measure from six textbook diagrams of radian, including a diagram of the unit circle. In chapter three, building on literature that reported that PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure involve relating radian to degrees, I explored how PMTs conceptualize this relationship. Five PMTs participated in semi-structured interviews, where they described radian angle measure given the angle measure in degrees. In chapter four, I explored the PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure given a novel context. Four PMTs participated in semi-structured virtual interviews, where they engaged with a digital activity that involves radian angle measure in the context of light reflection. Some of the dissertation’s findings align with previous research, where PMTs’ conceptualized radian angle measure in relation to the unit circle. However, this dissertation provides empirical evidence of why the PMTs refer to the unit circle. The PMTs acknowledged knowing the unit circle from memorization, but also explained that the purpose for using the unit circle is efficiency. At the same time, the PMTs acknowledged limitations in the unit circle and in their conceptions of it. Overall findings from the dissertation demonstrate the complexity of PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure. The PMTs’ conceptions were reported as concept definitions, ways of thinking, and spatial ways of thinking. The PMTs demonstrated flexibility with reasoning about radian angle measure using foundational conceptions in learning higher mathematics topics (e.g., proportional reasoning concepts, spatial ways of thinking). By positioning the PMTs as knowers and thinkers with valuable insights to provide, I was able to uncover and report a collection of conceptions that were demonstrated by PMTs when a curricular situation involved radian angle measure. The findings from this dissertation extend existing research that explored conceptions of angle measure and radian angle measure by reporting PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure given three different curricular situations. While there is still much that needs to be investigated about complexities in PMTs’ conceptions of radian angle measure, this dissertation represents one step toward providing insights about those complexities. </p>

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

First-year chemistry was identified by the North West University Potchefstroom Campus as one of the modules with a low pass rate. It is clear that students often memorise definitions and formulae, without understanding the underlying concepts which are necessary for problem solving. It is important that these and other related problems are addressed, before any significant change in the through-put rate for first-year students is reached. Conventional forms of lectures as teaching approach had little impact on the performance of students’ exam results. Much research has already been done on students’ misconceptions of stoichiometry, as well as problem solving strategies regarding stoichiometric problems. In addition, several alternative approaches concerning the teaching of chemistry have already been developed. Students still see this subject as very difficult and challenging. This study handles the systematic integration of visualization during lectures and the development of critical thinking and metacognition in assignments in stoichiometry teaching of first-year students at a South African University with the purpose of improving conceptual understanding. A quantitative research approach was followed. A one-group pre-test-post-test design was initiated to determine if there were practical significant differences in the conceptualisation of students at the beginning and at the end of the study. The intervention consisted of the implementation of specific teaching techniques, which included visualization and the development of critical thinking. Slideshows, a document camera, assessment tasks, a mini-project as well as thinking skills tasks were used. The study indicated that visualization, metacognition and critical thinking had a positive influence on the learning and conceptualisation of stoichiometry in students. The promotion of the learning of by the implementation of visualization, metacognition and critical thinking techniques, was successfully applied to help first-year students of this university realise stoichiometric-conceptualisation. / MSc (Natural Science Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

First-year chemistry was identified by the North West University Potchefstroom Campus as one of the modules with a low pass rate. It is clear that students often memorise definitions and formulae, without understanding the underlying concepts which are necessary for problem solving. It is important that these and other related problems are addressed, before any significant change in the through-put rate for first-year students is reached. Conventional forms of lectures as teaching approach had little impact on the performance of students’ exam results. Much research has already been done on students’ misconceptions of stoichiometry, as well as problem solving strategies regarding stoichiometric problems. In addition, several alternative approaches concerning the teaching of chemistry have already been developed. Students still see this subject as very difficult and challenging. This study handles the systematic integration of visualization during lectures and the development of critical thinking and metacognition in assignments in stoichiometry teaching of first-year students at a South African University with the purpose of improving conceptual understanding. A quantitative research approach was followed. A one-group pre-test-post-test design was initiated to determine if there were practical significant differences in the conceptualisation of students at the beginning and at the end of the study. The intervention consisted of the implementation of specific teaching techniques, which included visualization and the development of critical thinking. Slideshows, a document camera, assessment tasks, a mini-project as well as thinking skills tasks were used. The study indicated that visualization, metacognition and critical thinking had a positive influence on the learning and conceptualisation of stoichiometry in students. The promotion of the learning of by the implementation of visualization, metacognition and critical thinking techniques, was successfully applied to help first-year students of this university realise stoichiometric-conceptualisation. / MSc (Natural Science Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Afrikaans text / Skuldgevoelens is 'n emosie wat aile mense een of ander tyd in hulle lewens ervaar. Daar is egter diegene wat daagliks gebuk gaan onder skuldgevoelens en met die gevolge daarvan worstel, byvoorbeeld depressie, angsversteurings, woede-uitbarstings, ensovoorts. Skuldgevoelens se simptome demonstreer heelwat destruktiwiteit en raak persone se totale funksionering, dit is die liggaamlike, affektiewe, kognitiewe, en geestelike aspekte van menswees. Die huidige psigoterapeutiese intervensies fokus op die behandeling van die simptome van skuldgevoelens. Simptoombehandeling bring egter slegs tydelike verligting, aangesien daar met verloop van tyd ander simptome ontwikkel en/ofterugvalle voorkom. Buiten die fokus op simptome van skuldgevoelens is dit belangrik om ook as terapeut te verstaan, wat maak een persoon meer kwesbaar as 'n ander om skuldgevoelens te ontwikkel en waarom die skuldgevoelens instand gehou word. Die behandeling moet derhalwe verskuifword vanaf simptoombehandeling, na die oplossing van die oorsaak en instandhouding. Navorsing oor skuldgevoelens is hoofsaaklik gerig op die effek wat skuldgevoelens op die individu se persoonsvorming het (onder andere die ontwikkeling van patologie). Min navorsing is egter gedoen oor die oorsaak van skuldgevoelens en by name onderbewustelike skuldgevoelens. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie navorsing is om die dinamiese verloop van onderbewustelike skuldgevoelens in retrospek bloot te le. 'n Voorafgaande literatuurstudie oor skuldgevoelens lei die gevalstudie in. Daar word gepoog om met behulp van 'n gevalstudie die onderbewustelike persepsies en denke van die respondent bloot te le en dit te omskryf, te interpreteer en te verduidelik. Die studie het verder ook ten doel om aanbevelings vir sielkundiges, professionele hulpverleners, ouers en onderwysers te maak rakende die oorsaak en die onderbewustelike dinamiese verloop van skuldgevoelens, sodat kliente se overte gedrag binne die konteks van bulle volledige psigodinamika verstaan kan word. Literatuur oor die praktiese verloop van hipnoterapie en die motivering van die terapeut se gedagtegang en terapeutiese handeling is yl. Die navorsing poog om op hierdie gebied 'n bydrae te Iewer, aangesien die volledige terapeutiese interaksie opgeskryf is. / Guilt is an emotion which all people experience at times through the course of their lives. There are however, those who experience guilt all the time and struggle with the effects of it, for example depression, anxiety, anger, etcetera. The symptoms of guilt demonstrate destruction and influence the complete functioning of a person - body, emotions, mind, and spirit. The current psychotherapeutic interventions focus on the treatment of the symptoms of guilt. Symptom treatment brings only tempor ry relief, which is usually followed by new symptoms developing or relapses. Apart from the focus on the symptoms of guilt, it is also important that the therapist should understand why one person is more vulnerable than another person to develop guilt, and why is guilt preserved. Accordingly treatment can be shifted from symptom treatment to solving the problems of the cause and maintenance of guilt. Research on guilt focuses primarily on the effect of guilt on personality development (pathology among others). Less research has been done on the cause of guilt - especially subconscious guilt. The overall aim of this study is to uncover the dynamic course of subconscious guilt retroperspectively. A literature study on guilt serves as introduction to the case study. The research is done by means of a case study to uncover the subconscious perceptions and thoughts of the respondent, which will be described, interpreted and explained. The research will establish recommendations for Educational Psychologists, psychologists in other categories, parents and teachers to understand the cause and subconscious dynamic course of guilt. That will enable them to interpret the overt behaviour in the context of the complete psychodynamics. Literature on the practical course of therapy and the train of thoughts of the therapist is in short supply. This research seeks to contribute to filling this gap when the complete therapeutic interaction between the therapist and the client is put down in writing. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Die doel van die navorsing was om die doeltreffendheid van 'n opleidingskursus in kreatiewe vaardighede te evalueer. Die navorsingsprosedure is volgens die Solomonviergroepontwerp beplan, maar kon nie deurgevoer word nie weens 'n tekort aan proefpersone. Die navorsingsontwerp het bestaan uit 'n eksperimentele groep wat die opleidingskursus deurloop en 'n voor- en natoets afgete het, 'n kontrolegroep wat die opleidingskursus deurloop en 'n natoets afgete het, en 'n tweede kontrolegroep wat slegs getoets is. Die nieverbale toets van die Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking is gebruik om die uitwerking van die opleiding te bepaal. Die interbeoordelaarsbetroubaarheid van die meetinstrument is bewys. Die resultate dui aan dat die doeltreffendheid van die opleidingskursus nie deur die geslag of kwalifikasies van die proefpersone beinvloed is nie. Verder is bevind dat proefpersone wat voor opleiding lae tellings vir kreatiwiteit behaal het, meer gebaat het by kreatiwiteitsopleiding as persone wat hoe tellings behaal het. Die navorsingshipotese, naamlik dat die oplei~ingskursus sal lei tot 'n verbetering in die kreatiewe vaardighede van die proefpersone, is bevestig / The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a training course in creative abilities. The research was structured according to the Solomon four-group design. It failed, because the sample size was inadequate. The research design consisted of an experimental group that had completed the training course and was pretested and posttested, a control group that had completed a course and was posttested, and another control group that was tested once. The nonverbal test of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking was used to determine the training results. The inter-rater reliability of the test was confirmed. The results of this study suggested that the sex and qualifications of the subjects were nonsignificant. However, subjects who rated poorly before training benefited most by training. The research hypothesis which stated that training in creative ability will lead to improvement of creative ability, was confirmed / Psychology / M.A. (Sielkunde)

The evidence from the literature suggests that Information Technology adoption (IT) governance in organisations is still a challenge. The diversity of application and the ever-increasing use of IT results in making decisions on IT adoption a major challenge for organisations. The decision about using a particular technology from an organisational perspective is problematic since individual users have different worldviews. The implicit assumption in IT adoption literature is that stakeholders always reach consensus during IT adoption decision making in organisations. This study explored the existing models and frameworks in order to develop a preliminary improved IT adoption governance framework. This study used a case study sequential explanatory mixed methods research approach to validate the preliminary IT adoption governance framework. The first validation phase of the framework was done using a quantitative approach followed by the second validation phase based on qualitative interviews. The last validation was done after integrating the quantitative and qualitative results to produce the refined framework. The results suggest that the developed framework may improve IT adoption governance in organisations. The results showed that the framework components facilitate IT adoption governance in organisations. The results also suggest that the components have an association with each other except for the Technology Acceptance Model component. The results indicate that stakeholder participation and hard systems thinking components have a strong predictive impact on IT governance framework component perception in organisations. The study results suggest that IT adoption decision makers need to balance different stakeholders’ demands during IT adoption decision making in organisations. The framework helps in that regard by reconciling different stakeholders’ demands through collective IT adoption decision making. The strength of the framework is its integration of theories from various disciplines in understanding stakeholder expectations. On that basis the framework is in a better position to offer more insight into understanding challenges of IT adoption decision making than existing frameworks and models. The framework offers a potentially valuable basis for future research in IT adoption decision making in organisations. The results suggest that the framework may facilitate IT adoption in organisations using different components. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information systems)

Crafting Alliances Between A Mexican Agribusiness And The Base Of The Pyramid: An Action Research Into Strategizing By Sergio Quinones-Romandia May 2016 Committee Chair: Lars Mathiassen Major Academic Unit: J. Mack Robinson College of Business More than 4 billion people in the world face hunger every day. In addition to this imperative shortcoming, the world’s poor confront other side effects of poverty as well, including violence, forced mobility, lack of access to education and early death. In a globalized world where capitalism has become the prevailing economic ideology, alleviating poverty can no longer be the exclusive responsibility of governments, richer nations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Today, the private sector must also “take the torch” and contribute to easing the suffering of more than half the world’s population. The Base of the Pyramid (BOP) strategy is an important opportunity for the world’s private sector to create new business opportunities while at the same time helping address and alleviate poverty. However, while the literature describes several study cases, we still have limited knowledge about the process through which managers engage in BOP strategizing. Against this backdrop, this dissertation provides a detailed account of how a Mexican agribusiness: Agroservicios Nacionales, SAPI de CV (ANSA) developed and implemented a BOP strategy to co-create value with its distributors and poor corn farmers. Our Georgia State University (GSU) research team combined Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT) and Option-Driven Strategizing (ODS) and adopted action research to establish close collaboration among the firm’s top directors, a select group of its managers, designated local distributors, and our researcher team members. This dissertation presents a detailed account of the strategizing process, how AgroEstacion was conceived, how it was implemented, and the outcomes and experiences of the overall process. I also discuss the challenges our team faced, how they were resolved, and the opportunities that emerged from the strategizing process. Finally, I describe an Integrated Model that firms can use to strategize BOP opportunities in a way that benefits both their business and the surrounding society. This dissertation also represents the challenges of utilizing DCT in a practical case, following the suggestions of several authors as Teece, Pisano, Shuen, Zollo, Winters and others, from major works of writing that encourage researchers to take this theory into a more aggregate system and apply it in a practical case.