Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 19, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

A presente pesquisa de cunho qualitativo consiste em um estudo de caso que visa experimentar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem na introdução de conteúdos programáticos de Estatística. A questão que norteou nossa pesquisa foi: “Um Ambiente de Modelagem Matemática favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística na Educação Básica?” Na busca de resposta a essa pergunta, as atividades foram pensadas baseadas no contexto no qual a turma está inserida. Elaboramos uma sequência didática baseada em questionamentos direcionados à reflexão e à investigação. Nesse cenário, o professor tem papel de incentivador da autonomia e capacidade dos alunos produzirem estratégias para resolverem problemas. Trata-se de um plano de natureza aberta, no qual os conhecimentos prévios dos alunos e suas dúvidas têm maior responsabilidade no processo de aprendizagem. Escolhemos a Modelagem Matemática como metodologia, pois ela atende aos objetivos de nosso trabalho, de dar significado à Matemática à medida que a aproximamos da realidade do estudante, desenvolver a autonomia dos alunos, estimulá-los à reflexão e a crítica de fatos oriundos da sociedade. Queremos que os conteúdos sejam introduzidos dentro de um contexto com referência ao dia a dia do educando. Nossa expectativa é que por meio da compreensão da Estatística e de seu papel na sociedade os alunos consigam utilizá-la como ferramenta de análise da realidade vivida. Essa sequência didática foi aplicada em uma turma de 7º ano de Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública de Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Baseado nesse trabalho, julgamos que utilizar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística. Acreditamos que os alunos tiveram maior envolvimento nas atividades à medida que a Matemática se tornava mais próxima à realidade deles. Ao longo do trabalho desenvolvido junto aos alunos, percebemos uma evolução na compreensão dos conteúdos abordados. Atribuímos essa evolução ao maior envolvimento dos alunos nos Ambientes de Aprendizagem proporcionados pela Modelagem Matemática. / This research consists in a case study which experiments Mathematical Modelling as a Learning Environment to introduce statistical contents. This work seeks to answer the following question: “Does a Mathematical Modelling Environment favors statistical learning on lower secondary education?” In order to answer that, activities were created based on questions that consider the context of the class. In this scenario, the teacher has the role of encouraging autonomy and the students the ability of to producing strategies to solve problems. It is an open plan in which the students' previous knowledge and their doubts have greater responsibility in the learning process. We chose Mathematical Modelling as methodology because it meets the objectives of our work, to give meaning to Mathematics as we approach the reality of the student, to develop students' autonomy, to stimulate them to reflect and critique facts from society. We want the contents to be introduced within a context with reference to the student's day-to-day life. Our expectation is that through the understanding of Statistics and its role in society, students will be able to use it as a tool for analyzing their reality. This didactical sequence was applied on a 7th grade elementary public school class of Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Based on this work, we believe that using Mathematical Modeling as a Learning Environment favors the learning of Statistics. We also believe that students were more involved in activities as Mathematics became closer to their reality. Throughout the work developed with the students, we perceived an evolution in the comprehension of the covered contents. We attribute this evolution to the greater involvement of students in the Learning Environments provided by Mathematical Modeling.

A presente pesquisa de cunho qualitativo consiste em um estudo de caso que visa experimentar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem na introdução de conteúdos programáticos de Estatística. A questão que norteou nossa pesquisa foi: “Um Ambiente de Modelagem Matemática favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística na Educação Básica?” Na busca de resposta a essa pergunta, as atividades foram pensadas baseadas no contexto no qual a turma está inserida. Elaboramos uma sequência didática baseada em questionamentos direcionados à reflexão e à investigação. Nesse cenário, o professor tem papel de incentivador da autonomia e capacidade dos alunos produzirem estratégias para resolverem problemas. Trata-se de um plano de natureza aberta, no qual os conhecimentos prévios dos alunos e suas dúvidas têm maior responsabilidade no processo de aprendizagem. Escolhemos a Modelagem Matemática como metodologia, pois ela atende aos objetivos de nosso trabalho, de dar significado à Matemática à medida que a aproximamos da realidade do estudante, desenvolver a autonomia dos alunos, estimulá-los à reflexão e a crítica de fatos oriundos da sociedade. Queremos que os conteúdos sejam introduzidos dentro de um contexto com referência ao dia a dia do educando. Nossa expectativa é que por meio da compreensão da Estatística e de seu papel na sociedade os alunos consigam utilizá-la como ferramenta de análise da realidade vivida. Essa sequência didática foi aplicada em uma turma de 7º ano de Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública de Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Baseado nesse trabalho, julgamos que utilizar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística. Acreditamos que os alunos tiveram maior envolvimento nas atividades à medida que a Matemática se tornava mais próxima à realidade deles. Ao longo do trabalho desenvolvido junto aos alunos, percebemos uma evolução na compreensão dos conteúdos abordados. Atribuímos essa evolução ao maior envolvimento dos alunos nos Ambientes de Aprendizagem proporcionados pela Modelagem Matemática. / This research consists in a case study which experiments Mathematical Modelling as a Learning Environment to introduce statistical contents. This work seeks to answer the following question: “Does a Mathematical Modelling Environment favors statistical learning on lower secondary education?” In order to answer that, activities were created based on questions that consider the context of the class. In this scenario, the teacher has the role of encouraging autonomy and the students the ability of to producing strategies to solve problems. It is an open plan in which the students' previous knowledge and their doubts have greater responsibility in the learning process. We chose Mathematical Modelling as methodology because it meets the objectives of our work, to give meaning to Mathematics as we approach the reality of the student, to develop students' autonomy, to stimulate them to reflect and critique facts from society. We want the contents to be introduced within a context with reference to the student's day-to-day life. Our expectation is that through the understanding of Statistics and its role in society, students will be able to use it as a tool for analyzing their reality. This didactical sequence was applied on a 7th grade elementary public school class of Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Based on this work, we believe that using Mathematical Modeling as a Learning Environment favors the learning of Statistics. We also believe that students were more involved in activities as Mathematics became closer to their reality. Throughout the work developed with the students, we perceived an evolution in the comprehension of the covered contents. We attribute this evolution to the greater involvement of students in the Learning Environments provided by Mathematical Modeling.

A presente pesquisa de cunho qualitativo consiste em um estudo de caso que visa experimentar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem na introdução de conteúdos programáticos de Estatística. A questão que norteou nossa pesquisa foi: “Um Ambiente de Modelagem Matemática favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística na Educação Básica?” Na busca de resposta a essa pergunta, as atividades foram pensadas baseadas no contexto no qual a turma está inserida. Elaboramos uma sequência didática baseada em questionamentos direcionados à reflexão e à investigação. Nesse cenário, o professor tem papel de incentivador da autonomia e capacidade dos alunos produzirem estratégias para resolverem problemas. Trata-se de um plano de natureza aberta, no qual os conhecimentos prévios dos alunos e suas dúvidas têm maior responsabilidade no processo de aprendizagem. Escolhemos a Modelagem Matemática como metodologia, pois ela atende aos objetivos de nosso trabalho, de dar significado à Matemática à medida que a aproximamos da realidade do estudante, desenvolver a autonomia dos alunos, estimulá-los à reflexão e a crítica de fatos oriundos da sociedade. Queremos que os conteúdos sejam introduzidos dentro de um contexto com referência ao dia a dia do educando. Nossa expectativa é que por meio da compreensão da Estatística e de seu papel na sociedade os alunos consigam utilizá-la como ferramenta de análise da realidade vivida. Essa sequência didática foi aplicada em uma turma de 7º ano de Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública de Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Baseado nesse trabalho, julgamos que utilizar a Modelagem Matemática como Ambiente de Aprendizagem favorece a aprendizagem de Estatística. Acreditamos que os alunos tiveram maior envolvimento nas atividades à medida que a Matemática se tornava mais próxima à realidade deles. Ao longo do trabalho desenvolvido junto aos alunos, percebemos uma evolução na compreensão dos conteúdos abordados. Atribuímos essa evolução ao maior envolvimento dos alunos nos Ambientes de Aprendizagem proporcionados pela Modelagem Matemática. / This research consists in a case study which experiments Mathematical Modelling as a Learning Environment to introduce statistical contents. This work seeks to answer the following question: “Does a Mathematical Modelling Environment favors statistical learning on lower secondary education?” In order to answer that, activities were created based on questions that consider the context of the class. In this scenario, the teacher has the role of encouraging autonomy and the students the ability of to producing strategies to solve problems. It is an open plan in which the students' previous knowledge and their doubts have greater responsibility in the learning process. We chose Mathematical Modelling as methodology because it meets the objectives of our work, to give meaning to Mathematics as we approach the reality of the student, to develop students' autonomy, to stimulate them to reflect and critique facts from society. We want the contents to be introduced within a context with reference to the student's day-to-day life. Our expectation is that through the understanding of Statistics and its role in society, students will be able to use it as a tool for analyzing their reality. This didactical sequence was applied on a 7th grade elementary public school class of Sapucaia do Sul – RS. Based on this work, we believe that using Mathematical Modeling as a Learning Environment favors the learning of Statistics. We also believe that students were more involved in activities as Mathematics became closer to their reality. Throughout the work developed with the students, we perceived an evolution in the comprehension of the covered contents. We attribute this evolution to the greater involvement of students in the Learning Environments provided by Mathematical Modeling.

An efficient application and development of renewable energy sources is one of the most important contribution to the energetic balance of the human society. Anyhow, statistical model of the renewable energy market, which would fundamentally explain relevant economical rules related to these perspective energetic resources, is not clearly known up to now. Nevertheless, the relevant statistical data concerning application of solar energy (photovoltaic and thermo-solar heating) are available for the last twenty years. Based on the economic models, statistical data concerning sales of photovoltaic models and thermo-solar collectors sales have been analysed in this work. It has been shown that the model of constant elasticity predicts an exponential increase which will slow down when a certain level of annual cumulative sales was reached. The model of constant elasticity was found to be successful to interpret past sales data. In the approach of variable elasticity model the parameter of the elasticity has been modified as a function of variables such as market volume, price and time through the statistical evaluation. It enabled to calculate initial, saturation and competitive market conditions, as well. Whereas the constant elasticity demand model describes exponential growth of sales and installations, which was characteristic for the beginning of the application of these renewable resources of energy, the variable elasticity demand model describes a more realistic situation, where cumulative sales either increase or decrease and prices vary subsequently. Simple growth model of unlimited demand based on the growing sales is not realistic and could not be feasible in the long term. The market elasticity could be understood as a real economical parameter representing percentual market increase or decrease at a given time; in the variable demand elasticity model, the constant elasticity is replaced by a function of a market volume, price and time. In this case, we can estimate model parameters for the different market conditions: growth, saturation and decrease. The function representing the capital adequacy in the generalized market model has also been deliberated. Statistical models have been used to determine cumulative sales and market prices of photovoltaic modules and thermo-solar collectors. Moreover, model parameters have been used for the calculation of the realized photovoltaic and thermo solar projects' capital adequacy on the renewable energy market. By using model parameters, renewable energy market forecast up to 2020 has been estimated. We have used generalized market model to credibly estimate future renewable energy market until 2020; as well as extend model parameterization on other resources of renewable energy (water and wind, geothermal sources, biomass) and set prices of energy produced from these renewable sources. Potential energetic savings have been estimated for households (apartments and private houses), who can be relevant consumers of energy from renewable sources. We have performed statistical findings on randomly selected files, where we have reached a real energy consumption, to prove this. This research allowed us to perform a real estimate of a renewable energy contribution to the total energy balance. We have successfully proved that linearly growing capital adequacy function, with an annual growth between 2.5% and 3.0%, is reflecting the renewable energy market sufficiently and is fully in line with an average growth of the total energy consumption. Renewable energy share on the total energy balance will grow substantially to reach a level of 15% in 2015 on the world market and a level of 8% in the Czech Republic for the same period with a perspective to reach a level of 11% in 2020 respectively. Assuming this level of renewable energy on the total production will lead to a decrease of CO2 emissions by three million of tones in 2015 and by four million of tones in 2020. Final reach of this status quo is fully predicted by our statistical model for renewable energy market.

This diploma thesis focus on comparison of the management of 1st half of 20th century with present days. The main goal of thesis is to analyze a lurid career of Czech top manager Domink Cipera, his operation methods and usage of innovative management procedures (that were used during his business and politics career), based on the available published sources. Thesis is in addition comparing Cipera’s management style in context of that era with current acting managers and is concerning with Cipera’s profession heritage and his influence to modern management. Practical section of the thesis is dealing with sociological research on the sample of current acting managers. Design section is describing potential improvement in area of systematical managerial education of managers and executive project employees in the concrete company.

Interest in effectively publishing academic articles stems from involvement in statistical research support provided to academic researchers conducting their research. In the context of this study research output (RO) is defined as the publication of research findings (articles) in academic journals accredited with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET). The vantage point of this research is that of research support statisticians. New knowledge is continually required to drive decision making, policy formulation, industry, economies, regulation, development, innovation and progress (SESCES 2015:9; Pullinger 2014). Quality published research serves as a reliable source of new information. Therefore measures are globally and nationally implemented to stimulate article publication. Such measures and incentives include measurement of publication rate; journal impact ratings; government funding of research based on research output; acknowledgement as research-intensive institutions, promotion opportunities linked to publication rate and more. Although the literature reports on aspects of the production and publication of research findings, limited research is reported on research output productivity (ROP) viewed from the perspective of the statistical community that support research within the research process. Therefore a theoretical framework for ROP had to be developed. Classic grounded theory (GT) proved to be an appropriate methodology for this research based on its theory-develop properties. The literature, responses to an open- and closed-ended questionnaire, observational field notes of this researcher and informal discussion notes were inter alia used as data bases in the cycles of data-collection-analysis-and-comparison that characterise GT implementation. Theoretical components (‘categories’) that emerged in the research include the research process as central concept (the ‘core category’), a research practice component; role players in the research process; the attitude of researchers; knowledge of researchers; skills and attributes of researchers; research resources and research resource centres; and the research climate of the researcher environment. These components constitute the factors that impact ROP. Relational links - which forms the second leg of a developing theory - between these components are explained quantitatively in terms of multivariate linear regression equations; a profile of researcher-type (discriminant analysis) and qualitatively by means of the literature and field notes of this researcher. The emerged theoretical model indicates that knowledge and skills of academic researchers, as well as researcher-type directly impact on the research process and therefore on ROP. Furthermore attitude forms a discriminatory attribute of academic researchers. The objective with the development of the model of ROP was to identify important components of RO delivery and propose grassroots recommendations to promote ROP. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Interest in effectively publishing academic articles stems from involvement in statistical research support provided to academic researchers conducting their research. In the context of this study research output (RO) is defined as the publication of research findings (articles) in academic journals accredited with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET). The vantage point of this research is that of research support statisticians. New knowledge is continually required to drive decision making, policy formulation, industry, economies, regulation, development, innovation and progress (SESCES 2015:9; Pullinger 2014). Quality published research serves as a reliable source of new information. Therefore measures are globally and nationally implemented to stimulate article publication. Such measures and incentives include measurement of publication rate; journal impact ratings; government funding of research based on research output; acknowledgement as research-intensive institutions, promotion opportunities linked to publication rate and more. Although the literature reports on aspects of the production and publication of research findings, limited research is reported on research output productivity (ROP) viewed from the perspective of the statistical community that support research within the research process. Therefore a theoretical framework for ROP had to be developed. Classic grounded theory (GT) proved to be an appropriate methodology for this research based on its theory-develop properties. The literature, responses to an open- and closed-ended questionnaire, observational field notes of this researcher and informal discussion notes were inter alia used as data bases in the cycles of data-collection-analysis-and-comparison that characterise GT implementation. Theoretical components (‘categories’) that emerged in the research include the research process as central concept (the ‘core category’), a research practice component; role players in the research process; the attitude of researchers; knowledge of researchers; skills and attributes of researchers; research resources and research resource centres; and the research climate of the researcher environment. These components constitute the factors that impact ROP. Relational links - which forms the second leg of a developing theory - between these components are explained quantitatively in terms of multivariate linear regression equations; a profile of researcher-type (discriminant analysis) and qualitatively by means of the literature and field notes of this researcher. The emerged theoretical model indicates that knowledge and skills of academic researchers, as well as researcher-type directly impact on the research process and therefore on ROP. Furthermore attitude forms a discriminatory attribute of academic researchers. The objective with the development of the model of ROP was to identify important components of RO delivery and propose grassroots recommendations to promote ROP. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)