Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 100 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-74).

Recent studies have advanced our knowledge of factors that could affect problem solving performance, and also of the positive effects of problem solving ability on fitness measures (the ‘what’ of problem solving). However, a missing linkage exists between this ‘what’ and the corresponding ‘how’. Such linkage requires the understanding of how these factors contribute to problem solving. Therefore, the central aim of this thesis is to examine this ‘how’. The roles of learning and behavioural flexibility in the context of problem solving are shown across the experiments, primarily with laboratory and free-ranging grey squirrels and to a lesser extent with wild red squirrels. Under a recurring change, laboratory grey squirrels showed a rapid decrease in the number of errors they made per reversal phase in a serial spatial reversal learning task. Such efficiency is achieved by a gradual tactic change, from sequential to integrative tactics, with increased experience. It also involves support from cognitive mechanisms such as attention and inhibitory control. In a puzzle box task, wild grey squirrels showed that they were better problem solvers than the wild red squirrels. However, red squirrels that solved the puzzle box were more efficient than the grey solvers. Detailed analysis of the results showed that learning and flexibility play independent roles in problem solving. Each process is associated with particular traits that to increase efficiency. For grey squirrels, behavioural selectivity (effective behaviours) and persistence increased with increased experience. Flexibility, however, showed minimal positive effect for them, given that it decreased behavioural selectivity. In contrast, flexibility primarily provided a positive effect for red squirrels’ solving efficiency. These results showed that the two species appear to use both similar and different cognitive processes in solving the task. The discussion gathers the results and explores how learning and flexibility, along with other behavioural traits, vary in their contributions to problem solving performance. As learning and flexibility are definitely not limited in problem solving, the discussion also addresses how these two processes might be involved a construct of general intelligence (‘g’) in animals, and how they are relevant to wilder ecological aspects.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-101). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of problem solving approaches on pre-service elementary teachers&rsquo / basic mathematics achievement, problem- solving performance and their self regulated learning. The study was conducted as quasi - experimental design with 110 elementary school pre-service teachers at a public university in Central Anatolia Region in the 2007-2008 academic year during the second semester. The time duration of the study was 12 weeks. Experimental group was instructed by questioning problem solving approach while control group was instructed by traditional problem solving approach. The data were collected through Basic Mathematics Achievement Test, Mathematical Problem Solving Test, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, Treatment Evaluation Form, interviews and observation checklists. The quantitative data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. The results revealed that questioning problem solving approach had a statistically significant effect on pre-service elementary school teachers&rsquo / basic mathematics achievement, problem solving performance, task value, and control of learning beliefs, metacognitive self-regulation and effort regulation. However, there was no statistically significant mean difference between the experimental and control group in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, test anxiety, rehersal, elaboration, organisation, critical thinking, time and study environment management, peer learning and help seeking. In addition the interview results showed that questioning problem solving approach had developed pre-service teachers&rsquo / skills on Polya&rsquo / s problem solving phase which were devising a plan and looking back. The common opinions among the students about the qustioning problem solving approach that questioning problem solving approach improved their problem solving skills and they learned new ways of solution through class discussions. Moreover, they implied that they learned to think differently.

Lorsque nous parlons, nous bougeons nos mains, nous faisons des gestes. Les gestes aident à communiquer avec les autres mais aussi à mieux exprimer notre pensée. Les gestes et la parole sont donc deux dimensions qui s’intègrent dans un système de communication unifié, reposant sur des représentations cognitives communes : quand un locuteur produit un message, la plupart des informations qu’il veut partager est certes véhiculée par le discours, mais également par les gestes (McNeil, 1992). Parfois, cette information entre les gestes et la parole est non-concordante. Garbert et Goldin-Meadow (2002) ont montré que lorsque les participants expliquent leur résolution de la tâche de la Tour de Hanoï, ces non-concordances entre l’information transmise par les gestes et celle transmise par la parole, peuvent se produire soit aux moments incertains, preuve que les participants hésitent entre plusieurs stratégies de résolution soit aux moments-clés, indiquant la capacité à planifier deux stratégies de résolution, l’une par les gestes, l’autre par la parole. La planification à travers les « mismatches » gestes-parole n’a pas été étudié malgré les nombreuses recherches de Goldin-Meadow à ce sujet. Nous avons mené une étude en Colombie auprès de 144 participants issus de deux milieux socio-économiques contrastés. Nous avons tenté de combler cette lacune en étudiant les effets de l’âge, du milieu socio-économique et de la complexité de la tâche de la Tour de Hanoï sur les non-concordances gestes-paroles lors des explications anticipant sa résolution. Nos résultats suggèrent l’existence d’un effet de la complexité de la tâche et des effets limités de l’âge et du milieu socio-économique. / When we speak, we move our hands, we make gestures. Gestures help to communicate with others but also to better express our thoughts. Gestures and speech are two dimensions that are part of a unified system of communication based on shared cognitive representations: when a speaker produces a message, most of the information he wants to share is certainly conveyed by speech, but also by gestures (McNeil, 1992). Sometimes this information between gestures and speech is discordant. Goldin-Meadow and Garbert (2002) showed that when participants explain their resolution of the Tower of Hanoi task, the mismatch between the information conveyed by the gesture and the information transmitted orally, may occur either at key moments, indicating the ability to provide two problem-solving strategies, or at uncertain times, showing that participants are torn between several solving strategies. We conducted a study in Colombia among to 144 participants from two contrasting socio-economic backgrounds. The study of the development of planning through the gesture-speech "mismatch" remains understudied despite wide research conducted by Goldin-Meadow. We tried to fill this gap by examining the effects of age, socio-economic background and the complexity of the Tower of Hanoi task upon gesture-speech “mismatches” regarding explanations anticipating the resolution. Our results suggest the existence of an effect of the complexity of the task and limited age and socio-economic background effects.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:01:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Catia Aparecida Palmeira.pdf: 2026141 bytes, checksum: 76c3aa34b76e5a684c0eb3138ecd5344 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-11-27 / This master work with focus in mathematics education is linked with the Graduate Education Program at Center of Education at Federal University of Espírito Santo. Our study took place in 2011 in a state public school from the city of Vitoria, ES. Our research of qualitative nature investigates the possibilities of mathematics learning in a regular 3rd year secondary class having also students with visual deficiency. We have tried to answer the question: What possibilities of mathematics learning do happen in a 3rd year class of secondary school that has 4 students with visual deficiency when it incorporates a practice of solving and posing problems and incentives interaction among students? We have used Vygotsky/ s ideas to analyze interactions in the learning process. The perspectives from Polya, Santos and Santos-Wagner have guided us to interpret students/ mathematics learning in tasks of problem solving and problem posing. We have developed mathematics activities from equations from 1st and 2nd grade, linear systems, trigonometry and probabilities based on the questions proposed by Pitombeira (2008). We have collected data through questionnaires, mathematics tasks and workshops. In the analysis from these students/ tasks we have found evidences of changes in their studies habits outside school. We have noticed the development of student autonomy by searching new mathematics learning and strategies to solve and pose problems. We have also identified major interaction between teacher/students and among students with visual deficiency and the others. Our work has showed that it is possible to include all the youth students of secondary school in the process of mathematics learning. We do hope that this work offers inspiration to other teachers to develop pedagogical practices that try to assure participation and learning of all students in their classes. We also dream that teachers will be inspired by this research to consider peculiarities, particularities and skills of all the involved in the process of mathematics teaching and learning / Trabalho de mestrado, com foco em educação matemática, vincula-se ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação do Centro de Educação da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. Nosso estudo ocorreu em 2011, em uma escola estadual do município de Vitória, ES. Nossa pesquisa de cunho qualitativo investiga as possibilidades de aprendizagens em matemática, em uma turma de 3º ano de ensino médio regular que também tem alunos com deficiência visual. Procuramos responder à pergunta: Que possibilidades de aprendizagem matemática ocorrem em uma turma de 3º ano de ensino médio, com quatro alunos com deficiência visual quando se incorpora uma prática de resolução e elaboração de problemas e incentiva-se interação entre os alunos? Nós usamos ideias de Vygotsky para analisar interações no processo de aprendizagem. As perspectivas de Polya, Santos e Santos-Wagner nos orientaram para interpretarmos a aprendizagem matemática dos alunos em situações de resolução e formulação de problemas. Desenvolvemos atividades matemáticas de equações do 1º e 2º graus, sistemas lineares, trigonometria e probabilidade, a partir de questões de Pitombeira (2008). Coletamos dados por meio de questionários, tarefas matemáticas e oficinas. Na análise dessas tarefas dos estudantes, encontramos indícios de mudanças nos hábitos de estudos deles fora da escola. Percebemos o desenvolvimento de autonomia estudantil ao buscarem novas aprendizagens matemáticas e estratégias para resolver e elaborar problemas. Identificamos maior interação entre professora/aluno e entre os alunos com deficiência visual com os demais. Nosso trabalho mostrou que é possível incluir todos os jovens estudantes de ensino médio no processo de aprendizagem matemática. Esperamos que este trabalho inspire outros professores em desenvolver práticas pedagógicas que procurem garantir participação e aprendizagem de todos os alunos de suas turmas. Sonhamos também que professores sejam inspirados por esta pesquisa a considerar peculiaridades, particularidades e habilidades de todos os envolvidos no processo de ensino e aprendizagem matemática

Syftet med studien är att få en inblick i hur matematiska läroböcker, riktade till förskoleklass, kan bidra till utvecklingen av en problemlösningskompetens. Detta gjordes genom att undersöka omfattningen och placeringen av problemlösningsuppgifter i läroböcker riktade till förskoleklass. Med hjälp av ett tidigare beprövat ramverk kunde vi kategorisera uppgifter från sex olika läroböcker genom en kvantitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att problemlösningsuppgifter var underrepresenterade i alla läroböckerna och att högst procent problemlösningsuppgifter var placerade som en första deluppgift och minst procent som avslutande uppgifter. Vid de tillfällen där läroböckerna explicit markerat att det handlade om problemlösning var majoriteten av uppgifterna problemlösningsuppgifter. Samtliga läroböcker ansågs innehålla för låg andel problemlösningsuppgifter för att i tillräcklig mån kunna bidra till utvecklandet av en problemlösningskompetens. Placeringen av problemlösningsuppgifterna i läroböckerna var generellt positiv för att kunna bidra till ökat problemlösningskompetens. Att problemlösningsuppgifter dominerar där det beskrivs handla om problemlösning anses vara positivt, dock återfanns ändå 29,5% andra uppgifter, vilket kan skapa en skev bild av vad problemlösning är. / The purpose of the study is to gain an insight into how mathematical textbooks, aimed for preschool class, can contribute to development of a problem-solving competence. This was done by examining the extent and location of problem-solving tasks in textbooks aimed for preschool class. Using a previously proven framework, we were able to categorize data from six different textbooks through a quantitative content analysis. The results showed that problem-solving tasks were underrepresented in all textbooks and that the highest percentage of problem-solving tasks was placed as a first sub-task and the lowest percentage as concluding tasks. At the times when the textbooks explicitly stated that it was a problem-solving task, the majority of the tasks were problem-solving tasks. All textbooks were considered to include too low a share of problem-solving tasks, for it to be able to contribute to the development of a problem-solving competence. The placement of the problem-solving tasks in the textbooks was generally positive, in the meaning that it enabled them to contribute to increased problem-solving competence. Problem-solving dominates where it is described to be a problem-solving task which is considered positive, however, 29.5% other tasks were still found, and that can create a skew picture of what problem-solving is.

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